Six aspects of Indian cricket BCCI needs to fix in 2022

BCCI secretary Jay Shah and president Sourav Ganguly (right). Pic/AFP

While former cricketers have availed of BCCI's One Time Payment for services rendered apart from their pension, there is no such gesture for ex-Test umpires. Many of these umpires, who avail of the Rs 2,25,000 pension, have sacrificed as much if not more than players. Many of them went on assignments - domestic and Test cricket - while on leave from their respective employers. mid-day remembers the late Test umpire Judah Reuben telling us that since he was a finger print expert, he used to be called on duty at night and stand as an umpire the following day.

With the BCCI's coffers swelling through sponsorship and media rights, it's time they hike the pension of cricketers. Also, to keep up with the times, the people who run cricket in the country ought to think about revising the R5 lakh limit for hospitalisation of former players and umpires.

In a world where commitment to the fans is becoming increasingly critical, the BCCI must make the chief selector take questions from the media albeit done through a virtual press conference, after every selection meeting. Chetan Sharma, the current chairman of selectors has faced up to the media only once since taking over.

The Board and the selectors may have had their reasons for making Rohit Sharma captain of the T20I and ODI teams after Virat Kohli gave up the T20 captaincy. But the manner in which Rohit's appointment was announced was shambolic - a mere one sentence at the end of the press release which revealed India's Test team to South Africa.

Spectators need better facilities at grounds and a smoother ticketing process. One on hand, the players often stress how Test cricket is the ultimate, but the establishment does precious little to attract spectators for Test matches. Only a few state associations are particular about spectator-comfort and those wanting to book tickets in advance through the association's website should be able to do so seamlessly. India is far behind cricketing nations like England and Australia who place the interests of spectators high on their priority list.

All countries have removed the word Control from the name of their cricket board, but India hasn't. Nothing should be written in stone for a people's game, but the Board has somehow got away by continuing to use the C word. The game is controlled by various stakeholders and not just a bunch of cricket units that make up the board. Hopefully, 2022 will be the year in which BCCI will get a new name. How about Cricket India? And should the official website of the BCCI continue as bcci.tv?