No BCCI parachute for AI crash victims

In all probability, Air India look like heading for a crash. The mishap is on cards in the wake of a BCCI takeover of the women8217;s game in the country.

In all probability, Air India look like heading for a crash. The mishap is on cards in the wake of a BCCI takeover of the women8217;s game in the country. The casualty would be the women cricketers who are either fully employed with the PSU or on contract.

BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah told The Indian Express on Tuesday the 8220;board would not change the rules for anybody, Air-India included8221; which means the public sector unit 8212; which is not affiliated to the BCCI 8212; wouldn8217;t be in the new scheme of things.

Shah said the 8220;board has already taken women8217;s cricket under its wings and has asked the state associations to form their own wing or provide affiliation to the existing state women cricket associations. If Air India are not affiliated to the board, nothing can be done about it.8221;

This means an uncertain future for the leading women cricketers in the country like Anjum Chopra, Jhulan Goswami, Devika Palshikar, Deepika Babu and several others who are working with Air India.

Unlike the Railways or Services, who happen to be affiliated to the BCCI and have their teams on the domestic circuit, Air India8217;s women8217;s team is in a fix. 8220;We had requested the board to consider our position. Even if we are accepted as an associate member, it will help our cause. Air India have some excellent cricketers who represent India,8221; says Dilip Pinge, manager of the Air India team. The airlines8217; officials had written to the board several times in the past besides making verbal requests. BCCI8217;s decision not to include them, though, hasn8217;t been made public to them yet.

Like Air India, there are state associations like the Chhattisgarh Women8217;s Cricket Association which does not have a men8217;s team playing for the state under the BCCI affiliation. According to a senior board official the state has been asked to send its women8217;s players to play for Uttar Pradesh.

Air India, though, stand to lose out if they don8217;t get affiliation despite pumping in good money in women8217;s cricket, including providing them with jobs. But the cricketers may not be the losers as there are others waiting to sign them. Former India women8217;s captain and sports officer with the Railways Diana Eduljee says that their doors are open in case the high-profile Air India team is disbanded.

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8220;Railways will provide them with jobs as much as possible, regardless of the age bar,8221; she says. While on the issue of A-I not finding a place in the BCCI she adds, 8220; If Air-India doesn8217;t get affiliation, then it8217;s just bad luck. You win some, you lose some, but for the betterment of the game, things have to keep moving on.8221;

Among men cricketers, players like VVS Laxman, Yuvraj Singh and Harbhajan Singh are contracted with Indian Airlines while the likes of Irfan Pathan, Suresh Raina and others with Air India. However, given the fact that there are important national tournaments where Indian Airlines and Air India participate, there hasn8217;t been a call to include these PSUs in BCCI competitions like Ranji Trophy.