The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has broken its silence on the brewing controversy regarding Bangladesh's appeal to move its T20 World Cup matches away from Indian soil. The response came during a high-level meeting primarily focused on reviewing the board's Centre of Excellence (CoE) in Bengaluru.
BCCI's Stance on Bangladesh's Request
When questioned about Bangladesh approaching the International Cricket Council (ICC) to shift its World Cup fixtures, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia offered a measured reply. He clarified that the matter ultimately falls under the ICC's jurisdiction. "The meeting was about CoE and other cricketing matters. It's not our domain to talk about that," Saikia told PTI, referring to the venue request.
This development follows Bangladesh's move to seek a change after the BCCI instructed IPL franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to release their national pacer, Mustafizur Rahman. The directive was issued amidst the prevailing diplomatic climate between the two neighbouring nations.
Centre of Excellence Review and Recruitment Drive
The core agenda of the meeting, held in Mumbai on Friday, was a comprehensive review of the operations at the state-of-the-art Centre of Excellence in Bengaluru. The facility became fully operational in April last year. Attendees included BCCI president Mithun Manhas, vice-president Rajeev Shukla, and head of cricket at the CoE, VVS Laxman.
A key finding was the significant number of vacant technical positions at the centre. Roles such as the head of education and head of sports science remain unfilled. "We assessed the vacancies at CoE and decided to go ahead with the recruitment process soon," Saikia stated. He acknowledged a global shortage of technical personnel but assured efforts are underway to fill the gaps at the earliest.
Streamlining India A and U-19 Tours
Beyond the CoE review, the BCCI top brass also deliberated on future scheduling for the India A and India U-19 teams. Saikia, a cricketer-turned-lawyer from Assam, emphasized the critical role of A tours as a talent pipeline for the senior national team.
"We also talked about how the A tours need to be scheduled going forward," he said. "In certain situations, the A side and senior team are touring together at the same time. We need to ensure that there is no overlap. An A tour is an important supply line of cricketers." The board aims to create a more structured calendar to maximize the development benefits of these tours.
With the Vijay Hazare Trophy currently utilizing the CoE grounds, the timing was deemed appropriate for this strategic review. The BCCI's dual focus appears clear: navigating international cricketing diplomacy while strengthening its domestic infrastructure and talent pathways.
