Gavaskar resigns from MCA cricket committee

Batting great Sunil Gavaskar will not attend Friday's critical Mumbai Cricket Association's (MCA) Cricket Improvement Committee (CIC) meeting which will witness the appointments of selectors, coaches, physios, trainers for all age groups, including women in the 2011-12 season. The reason being that the little master had resigned as the head of the committee on April 1.

It is learnt that his resignation was not accepted. Gavaskar resigned because his media duties were preventing him from being involved the way he likes to get involved wholeheartedly.

In response to a note sent out by his parent cricket association requesting members to attend the May 6 meeting, Gavaskar stressed that he had resigned.

The 61-year-old great, who succeeded Madhav Apte as head of the CIC in 2009, is a full-time media professional behind microphones the world over and writing columns for various publications. His fortnightly column No 666 appeared this Sunday.

"Yes, I have resigned... a month ago. Look at the schedule ahead for India," Gavaskar told MiD DAY yesterday evening. "It's so tight. They (Indian team) will be touring from June to September and that's the time I am doing media work. I think the CIC needs somebody who is going to be available.

"When I accepted it (the position) two years ago, I told Mr Pawar (MCA chief, Sharad) when he called, that I am travelling so much, but he requested me to do it. Giving respect to his request, I accepted it, but I find this year's IPL schedule and the schedule ahead is such that it is better for somebody who is going to be in Mumbai to take it up."

Gavaskar's resignation means he will not be associated with the MCA. In what capacity would he like to assist Mumbai cricket, MiD DAY asked him, to which he replied: "They can always pick my brains for anything. I don't have an issue with that, but I don't want to be on a committee for namesake because that is not my style. If I have to do something then I've got to get fully involved in it."

The CIC comprises former players like Sanjay Manjrekar, Balwinder Singh Sandhu, Milind Rege and Diana Edulji. The high-powered committee decides on critical appointments. "The president will speak to Gavaskar and urge him to stay on. A final verdict should be out next week," an MCA official said at the Wankhede Stadium yesterday. Gavaskar's appointment was hailed in 2009, his time concerns notwithstanding.

"The quality Gavaskar will bring to the CIC table in one hour will be far greater and useful than what anyone else in Mumbai can bring over a hundred hours," former Mumbai captain Ravi Shastri was quoted as saying by The Hindu newspaper then.