Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid Inputs Help Lodha Panel Prepare Model on India Cricket Board Revamping

The Supreme Court-appointed Justice RM Lodha panel, that banned Indian Premier League teams Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals for two seasons on charges of corruption, will now submit a report on how to revamp and restructure the Board of Control for Cricket in India. The report will be filed on January 4.

The panel, that also includes former Supreme Court judges Ashok Bhan and R.V. Raveendran, had met 70 people, including former captains Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Kapil Dev, to prepare its report.

The BCCI's constitution came under the scanner after the Supreme Court heard the 2013 IPL betting and match-fixing scandal. Former president N. Srinivasan was among several top officials who were investigated by a court-appointed inquiry committee. The conflict of interest issue took centrestage.

Srinivasan's son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan (a Chennai Super Kings team official) and Raj Kundra (team owner of Rajasthan Royals) were banned for life by the Lodha committee for indulging in betting. Srinivasan also fell from grace as one of the most powerful men in world cricket.

Justice RM Lodha said the panel's report will be a role model to world cricket.

© AFP

Justice Lodha spoke to NDTV on Wednesday. Excerpts from an exclusive chat:

NDTV: What was your experience in preparing this report?

Justice Lodha: It was a challenging job and completely different from what we were doing in court. Our earlier report (in July) on deciding quantum of punishment to IPL franchises was like a court hearing, but this one on how to revamp the BCCI is really challenging

NDTV: You may have met a large number of people to prepare the report?

RML: We met around 70 people from various backgrounds, from cricket legends, to BCCI members to journalists. We met Bishan Singh Bedi, Kapil Dev, Sachin, Dravid, Sourav Ganguly, Anil Kumble, Jagmohan Dalmiya among others..

NDTV: How long it took for preparing the report?

RML: We prepared an exhaustive questionnaire on all subjects and it took more than 10 days to prepare that and we sent it to BCCI and others. It took 35 working days to complete the report, but really it is a challenging task with so much passion for cricket here, we took more care.

NDTV: For revamping the working of BCCI did you look at the other models in other countries?

RML: Yes, we studied the Cricket Australia model. The Aussies have few states, whereas we have more number of states. So our model will have to cater to our country. We also examined the FIFA model. There are shortcomings in every model and we tried to overcome and present a model for BCCI which we feel it will help the cricketing countries to weed out corruption. We also looked at the working of ICC.

NDTV: You mean other countries will also follow your report?

RML: There is lot of interest in the cricketing world about our report and with the recent suspension (of Sepp Blatter and Michel Platini) in FIFA, everyone is watching what we will be submitting.

NDTV: New BCCI president Shashank Manohar had taken some steps towards transparency in BCCI. What are your views?

RML: In fact, when his name was in circulation for the BCCI president's post (following Dalmiya's death in September), he met us. After he became the president, he tried to implement what he had discussed with us. This shows his intentions.