The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : India is the power centre: Bacher

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Feb 28, 2008
ePaper | Mobile/PDA Version

Sport

Sport - Cricket

India is the power centre: Bacher

G. Viswanath

Tendulkar has been an outstanding ambassador

— Photo: Vivek Bendre

HIGH-PROFILE VISITOR: Dr. Ali Bacher (left) with BCCI CAO Ratnakar Shetty and Secretary Niranjan Shah (right) at the Cricket Centre in Mumbai on Wednesday.

Mumbai: Former South African captain Dr. Ali Bacher is on a business visit to India.

He visited the Cricket Club of India and shared his views on the IPL, ICC, Twenty20 and Sachin Tendulkar’s influence on the game.

“The traditionalists are nervous and asking what will happen to Test cricket and 50-over games. My answer is simple. There is a product (T20) that you cannot wash away, it’s here to stay. The public, the TV audience and the sponsors want it. This is bigger than the Kerry Packer revolution.

“It’s a question of how to manage it properly and I think the BCCI has got it right, scheduling the IPL at the end of the season. “Playing for the country is the ultimate. This will never change,” Dr. Bacher said.

About the IPL: What has staggered me is the amount of money generated by the BCCI . I have been informed that Lalit Modi has done all this; if that’s the case, it’s an extraordinary achievement. It also shows where India stands in world cricket. It is the power centre.

About Tendulkar’s influence: One thinks down the years and what Sachin (Tendulkar) has brought to the game of cricket in India and worldwide. He has brought billions of cricket lovers to the grounds, brought pleasure, joy and excitement. Why should he not be handsomely rewarded? When I met him for the first time in 1990-91, he remained so respectful, and he is the same today.

Franchisees’ interest in IPL: They have some business reasons. No one throws away money. They know what they are doing.

ICC and T20: I was the chairman of the ICC Cricket Development Committee from 1996 to mid-2000. We had a dream of taking cricket to the associate member countries on a meaningful basis. We tried hard with enthusiasm and commitment, but I don’t think we made a big impact.

Will T20 affect technique? The top cricketers adapt. They are professionals, focussed and look after themselves.

About Australian cricket: The Australian era of complete dominance is over.

Of course, they will be a very good team. They have lost three of the greatest cricketers of all time: Glenn McGrath, Shane Warne and Adam Gilchrist (after the CB series).

Best in the world

“The BCCI’s Cricket Centre is the best office I have ever visited in the world,” said Dr. Bacher.

Dr. Bacher met the BCCI Secretary, Niranjan Shah, and CAO, Ratnakar Shetty, at the centre on Wednesday.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Sport