When the apex court told the BCCI, in response to the affidavit against the Lodha panel recommendations, that it might prompt the panel to review a few proposals, it by no means suggested a respite for the latter. “There is no question of you wanting it. We, the Supreme Court, will decide whether we are inclined to send some restricted issues back to the committee for its decision,” the bench asserted.
That the court, while understanding that some of the recommendations are slightly implausible and factoring in the board’s autonomy, still stood firmly by the Lodha panel, is best exemplified by its retort to BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur, who had written in the affidavit that the panel didn’t seek his views on the proposed recommendations. “The whole world knew this. So what were you doing? Waiting at the fence for a written invitation?”
Going by what transpired in the court on Thursday, the drama could drag on for a few more feisty episodes. But it won’t be long before the court starts dictating terms to the BCCI. And then there would hardly be any wriggle room for the world’s richest cricket body.
