For long, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has fairly been perceived as an organisation in which the more things change, the more they remain the same. It is therefore premature to view the >election of Shashank Manohar as its president — in light of his promise to cleanse the Board — as the dawn of a new era. But there is no doubt that the moment contains the potential for the transformation of organised cricket in India. At the start of his second term, Mr. Manohar has certainly said a lot of the right things. >He accepted that the BCCI was facing a crisis of credibility , caused largely by matters relating to conflict of interest and corruption. The announcement that an ombudsman, independent of the BCCI, would be appointed to deal with such complaints is a step in the right direction. Greater transparency, especially in financial matters, was overdue — Mr. Manohar sought to address it by saying that the Board’s constitution, inaccessible to the public thus far, and its balance sheet (and entries of any single item of expenditure over Rs. 25 lakh) would be posted on its website. As significant, in terms of rhetoric, was the acknowledgment of the vital role the Indian cricket fan plays. For a body that does not often display concern for this forgotten stakeholder, it was an interesting statement to make.
But though the message the BCCI strived to convey was overwhelmingly positive, there were signs that not too much should be read into it just as yet. Mr. Manohar’s assertion that “nothing wrong is being done in the Board”, and that it was all “myth” and “perception”, was disappointing. He left himself open to criticism that the BCCI would not proceed beyond cosmetic changes. Although the decision to air more of the Board’s working is welcome, the fact remains that the BCCI is not accountable to outside agencies or the public under the Right to Information Act — a situation that Mr. Manohar said must continue unless the government amends the law. And while the new president has a reputation as a man of personal integrity, it must not be forgotten that it was during his first term in office that the BCCI amended its constitution to allow office-bearers to have a stake in the Indian Premier League — the root of the >conflict of interest issue concerning N. Srinivasan . Critics moreover will interpret Mr. Manohar’s comments on Sunday about the need for unity — particularly his praise for Mr. Srinivasan’s administrative abilities — as an indication that there are no permanent friends or enemies in Board politics, only permanent interests. The BCCI faces several challenges to the old order, not least the recommendations for reform that the Supreme Court-appointed Justice R.M. Lodha committee will put forth. It will be judged not by declarations made at media conferences, but by actions.