Sharad Pawar to Step Down as Mumbai Cricket Association Chief

Sharad Pawar will step down as Mumbai Cricket Association chief following Supreme Court's ruling on age cap of 70 years for cricket administrators.

In a press conference on Sunday, the 76-year-old Pawar, who has been both International Cricket Council and Board of Control for Cricket in India chief, said he accepted the Supreme Court's verdict. However, he added that the MCA will take six months to implement the Supreme Court's orders, which effectively means he will not retire immediately.

"I will be the happiest (man) to retire. Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) has approved all recommendations by the Supreme Court. But we need clarification on one or two points, like in Maharashtra, we have three associations. We have objection on rotation policy," Pawar said.

"We will first redraw the constitution, get the draft approved by the managing committee before calling a Special General Meeting to get the amended constitution passed. We have six months' time."

Pawar, who is on his way out as per the judgement, as he has completed the age cap of 70 years and the term cap of nine years cumulatively set as an office-bearer, said that on only one issue - one state, one vote - the MCA needed to get clarification from the BCCI.

 "We accept the one state, one vote decision. But we are three associations belonging to Maharashtra state - Mumbai CA, Maharashtra CA and Vidarbha CA. As per the judgement we have to take turns to be represented in the BCCI.

"When Mumbai gets a chance to be represented, our jurisdiction will extend all over Maharashtra and not confined only to Mumbai and its surrounding areas like Navi Mumbai and Thane as is the case now. We will then have to include players from the rest of Maharashtra in our teams (to be fielded in Ranji Trophy and other tournaments)."
Pawar served as the chairman of  BCCI from 2005 to 2008 and as the president of ICC from 2010 to 2012.

Supreme Court's verdict

Pawar's decision comes after Supreme Court, in its verdict, supported the recommendations of Justice RM Lodha panel - which gave several age and guidelines for cricket administrators to improve transparency and inducting fresh blood.

The Lodha committee had recommended the BCCI office-bearers should not exceed the age of 70, and also Board functionaries needed to step down from their positions in the respective state bodies. The BCCI has been given six months' time to implement the recommendations.

After Pawar's departure, the spotlight will now be on two other veteran cricket administrators - N Srinivasan and Niranjan Shah.

While the 71-year-old Srinivasan is the head of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association, the 72-year-old Shah is Saurashtra Cricket Association supremo.

(With inputs from Anurag Dwary and PTI)