An explainer about what the BCCI’s newly-appointed Cricket Advisory Committee is expected to contribute towards Indian cricket
Sharda Ugra01-Jun-2015What is the purpose of the committee?The Cricket Advisory Committee, comprising Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and VVS Laxman is expected to advise the BCCI on cricket-related matters pertaining to the international and domestic game that do not fall under the many committees currently in the BCCI. The announcement of the committee forms the new BCCI dispensation’s drive to make several changes contrary to their predecessors.What is their area of authority?The proposed frames of reference that fall within their ambit are meant to be wide-ranging: focus on improving performances overseas, creating a “pathway” to track a young cricketer’s career from under-19 to India-A to the international team, arriving at a decision about the balance between T20, ODIs and Test cricket for the country’s elite players, managing the bowling load for fast bowlers, means to improve the quality of Indian spinners, education and life skills for young cricketers.What are their powers? The powers enjoyed by Tendulkar, Ganguly and Laxman extend to making recommendations to the BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya and secretary Anurag Thakur. Dalmiya and Thakur will convey the recommendations and suggestions to the Board in order to have them pushed through.Was anyone or any committee doing this work previously, or is this something new?The advisory committee has been created afresh but the issues have dogged Indian cricket for a long time. When Anil Kumble, as a working committee member, asked about India’s two 0-4 defeats in 2011, the question was dead-batted and came to nothing.Who are they accountable to?The BCCI president and secretary.What are they accountable for?That hasn’t been made clear yet.Who is accountable to them?No one.Are the three expected to break up their responsibilities? Or work as a team?There is no break-up of responsibilities, they are expected to work as a team. The first meeting of the committee is expected to take place around ten days from today.Let’s look at their roles according to what the BCCI press release said. “Provide guidance to our national team as we set out to enhance our performance on overseas engagements” – How would this differ from what the coaching staff does?The CAC is expected, hypothetically, to provide a more detached and experienced view about overseas performances to the selectors than the coaching staff, whose own powers are limited to their equations with the board, the captain and the selectors.”Provide direction to improve our talent pathway” – is this not the job of the NCA? Yes, but the NCA’s role has been under debate for nearly at least the ten years – whether it is meant to be being a finishing school of cricketing talent on the way to the international stage or a hospital and recovery centre for injured players.”Take steps to strengthen domestic cricket to better prepare our players to handle the rigours of International Cricket” How can this be done?The CAC is expected, on the basis of their experience and knowledge, to provide a wider, more practical view about handling the rigours of international cricket beyond the conventional ‘more green pitches’ and ‘more fast bowlers’ advice. This may have to do more with succession planning in selection and pre-tour preparation in the run up to tougher series.
