Isn’t this the height of sycophancy? A board member, who is not even an office-bearer of any state association but was a state representative, urged the members to open the office of ICC’s chairman inside the BCCI office in Mumbai so that the Indian cricket board could still function under the tutelage of ougoing secretary Jay Shah. This suggestion was actually put forward by this board members during the AGM in Bengaluru on Sunday had other members in splits. It turned out to be so hilarious that they even said that ‘Jay Bhai’ is always there in BCCI for any sort of guidance, what is the point of having an ICC office inside the BCCI headquarter. Generally, the chairman sits in ICC headquarters in Dubai.
This incident certainly raises questions about sycophancy and internal dynamics within the BCCI. “The suggestion to open the office of the ICC chairman within the BCCI headquarters, particularly when it seems unnecessary given that Shah is already accessible for guidance, appears to have been met with humour and skepticism by other board members. It also suggests that the individual who proposed this idea might have been attempting to curry favour with Shah, potentially to secure a more influential position within the BCCI,” a source told CricBlogger.
Shah is supposed to take over as the youngest ICC president from December 1 and would really be missed as the BCCI secretary, especially, sustaining cricket during the pandemic without any hiccup. The fact that the suggestion was seen as over-the-top by other members further reinforces the perception that this was more about personal gain than practical governance.
Such instances can reflect the larger issue of power struggles and political maneuvering within sports bodies, where individuals may seek to align themselves with influential figures for personal advancement, rather than focusing on what is best for the organization or the sport itself. In this case, the proposal seems to have backfired, as it led to amusement rather than serious consideration, and possibly damaged the credibility of the person who suggested it.