BCCI approves Indian Cricketers' Association

The ICA is currently not affiliated to the Federation of International Cricketers Association (FICA), and will be strictly restricted to only former players’, both male and female. The ICA is aimed at “conserving and advancing the welfare” of former players.

"The Indian Cricketers' Association, a non-profit company…has been granted recognition by the BCCI as the official association for ex-cricketers in India," the BCCI said in a notice, put on its website, on Tuesday (July 23).

The ICA presently has three directors: Kapil Dev, Ajit Agarkar and Shanta Rangasway. It is understood that these three stalwarts will hold their positions until the ICA conducts its executive elections, which is scheduled for October 22.

As per the norm one male and one female representative will be part of BCCI’s nine member Apex Council.

Before the decision, India and Pakistan were the only major countries not to have a recognized players' body. However, the key difference between ICA and the player bodies of other major countries is that the former will only be limited to past players, in contrast to the latter, where current players are also represented.

The membership criteria for the ICA are as follows:

• Male and female ex-cricketers, who have played at least one  international match in any format of the game at the senior level;


• Male ex-cricketers, who have played at least 10 First-Class matches in any format of the game at the senior level;


• Female ex-cricketers, who have played at least five First-Class matches in any format of the game at the senior level; and


• Differently-abled ex-cricketers, who have played either International cricket or First-Class cricket, where such cricket is recognised as such by the ICC or the BCCI and is organised by the BCCI or a body  recognised by the ICC or the BCCI, in any format of the game at the  senior level.