All you need is love: Why BCCI is batting for Srinivasan

There’s nothing you can do that can’t be done Nothing you can sing that can’t be sung Nothing you can say but you can learn to play the game It’s easy - All You Need Is Love (Beatles) The Supreme Court of India appointed Sunil Gavaskar as interim president of the BCCI for IPL affairs and Shivlal Yadav as interim president of the BCCI for everything else. This decision was made on 28 March, 2014. It’s 29 April today and in the month that has gone by, the BCCI has realised just how much they miss N Srinivasan’s guidance at the top; they have realised just how much they love him; they have also realised that they want him back and they told the Supreme Court in as many words today. [caption id=“attachment_1501545” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] The BCCI wants N Srinivasan back in charge. Reuters[/caption] According to the Indian Express, the BCCI lawyers told the two-member bench that if the Supreme Court favours an external panel then the Board wants Srinivasan brought back as president. Now if this isn’t love, then what is? As @ssk4736 on twitter put it: “It’s Srinivasan wanting Srinivasan back,” and it really can’t get any more obvious. This isn’t only about respecting the autonomy of the BCCI, this is about setting India’s most loved game right and the only way that is going to happen is if the SC finds a way to end the love affair between Srinivasan and the BCCI. Given how political the BCCI is, it is quite amazing that no one in the Srinivasan camp wants to step up and usurp the president’s seat for himself. How does he inspire such loyalty? There is probably a book in there but in the meanwhile, this adulation can only mean a love that is so pure that it refuses to be tainted by the Mudgal Committee’s findings. Without Srinivasan around there have been no scandals, cricket has taken centre-stage in the UAE and BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel, who walked out of the BCCI Emergent meet in support of Srinivasan before being persuaded to come back, has been removed from the managing committee of the Baroda Cricket Association. The officials in general have been silent and working quietly in the background which is how it should always be. The stars are the players and not the administrators. Maybe Srinivasan is promising them a comeback to prime time – as it always is… if it’s not love, then its fame. As one of my colleagues put it – it’s like asking a thief who he wants to investigate him. All the Supreme Court really needs to ensure is that it has honest individuals in charge of the probe; individuals who seek out the truth and want the best for the game of cricket; individuals who will not fall for Srini’s charms like the BCCI has. Because once that happens, then you are lost. The BCCI and Srinivasan are probably desperate because reinstatement at the head of BCCI will also clear his way to take over as ICC chairman in July. If he stands suspended, there will be a huge outcry when he does take over the world game and he will want to avoid that. It will also probably lead to calls for his resignation. And there will also be the ‘danger’ of someone other than India taking centre stage. Now, that can’t be allowed. It will almost be like the BCCI building the empire only to watch someone else take the throne. Srinivasan’s desperation only highlights how much of a spot he is in but it is the BCCI’s continued support of his antics that is baffling – leading us to say, time and again, it must be love. It also brings to mind De Niro’s classic line from Casino: “There’s three ways to do things, the right way, the wrong way and the way that I do it.” Right now neither the SC nor the Mudgal Committee or the nation are seeing things Srinivasan’s way – but it may probably only be because they are still not feeling the love.