After reports that the cricket board BCCI was contemplating cancelling the ongoing India-New Zealand series, the Lodha Committee on Tuesday reversed it order from Monday, directing banks to unfreeze the board's accounts.
"Cricket must go on," said retd Chief Justice of India RM Lodha, who heads the committee appointed by the Supreme Court to recommend reforms in the running of the Board.
But an upset Board of Control for Cricket in India or BCCI has hit back, with board president Anurag Thakur saying, "Cannot say anything about India-New Zealand series. The BCCI is the richest board that hosts the IPL, but we have to deal with matters like this."
Cricket, said Mr Thakur, also a BJP lawmaker, "cannot run without money," also pointing out that "we don't take money from the government and it's our own funds."
"Without the funds how do we play? How can we function, how can we make payments to the players and the various stakeholders? Our accounts have been frozen without even communicating with us. Is this how you treat the world's richest cricket body which has run the sport so efficiently? It has completely destroyed our hard-earned reputation," added Thakur.
Reacting to Thakur's comments, Justice Lodha, in an exclusive interview to NDTV, said the BCCI should not twist the panel's recommendations according to its own will.
"God help them if BCCI twists panel's report. Game bigger than BCCI officials. There is no restraint on India vs New Zealand matches," he said on BCCI-Lodha panel bank freeze row.
He also indicated that the BCCI was acting like a dictator. "Dictators do good work, but they are not good for democracy. Once Supreme Court approves something, it is binding. Let's wait and see how BCCI responds to our report on Thursday," he said.
Battle between BCCI and Lodha panel
The storm over the bank accounts is the latest instalment of a pitched battle between the BCCI and the Lodha Committee, appointed by the Supreme Court and which has recommended sweeping changes to bring more transparency and accountability in the board's functioning. Last week it recommended that the entire brass, including Mr Thakur, be sacked for ignoring its recommendations for reforms.
On Monday, Justice Lodha had directed banks where the BCCI holds accounts not to disburse funds for financial decisions taken by the board at its Special General Meeting on September 30. On Tuesday, he told them to unblock accounts, but also emphasised that the BCCI was not told to stop payments on routine matters.
"It is clearly stated in the mail that we have told them (the banks) to stop disbursing large funds to state associations. We have not told them to stop payments on routine matters. If anyone says something I can't stop it. We have not ordered them to stop distributing funds on routine matters. Conducting a series is a routine matter," Justice Lodha had told NDTV.
Mr Thakur said, "Money is given to state associations to hold cricket. State associations need to decide whether they can hold matches without money," adding, "if we cannot pay players, then it is a big question mark."
The series with New Zealand has a Test match and five ODIs remaining. The third and final Test starts this Saturday. India are leading the three-Test series 2-0.
The Lodha Panel was appointed by the Supreme Court in the wake of the IPL spot-fixing and betting scandal. Last week the court made scathing observations saying that if the BCCI "does not fall in line" and follow the court's directive to implement the Lodha Committee's recommendations, it will take measures to enforce them. The next hearing is on Thursday, October 6.
Anurag Thakur has said that India may have to pull out of next year's Champions Trophy in England if the BCCI implements the Justice RM Lodha Committee recommendations in toto.
The Lodha Panel has suggested a 15-day window before and after the IPL. The Champions Trophy is scheduled from June 1-18, 2017, while the IPL is likely to end only in the last week of May.
(With inputs from Anurag Dwary, Amitoj Singh and Reuters)