ICA president Ashok Malhotra complains about non-cooperation from some states  

“We have two representatives in the BCCI’s Apex Council and they attend all the BCCI Apex Council meetings. But while many states have followed suit and appointed our state representatives on their Apex Councils, some states are not co-operating, forcing us to point out their own rules to them,” Malhotra, a former Indian player, was quoted as saying to Asianet Newsable.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had made it clear that just like two ICA members will be a part of BCCI’s Apex Council, the state units affiliated to BCCI too have to follow the footsteps. It was also discussed that every state association should have a uniform structure in place and asked the respective representatives to work on the same.

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“We need to create jobs and employment for our former cricketers who have given their sweat and blood for the game,” said Yajurvindra Singh, the member representative (male) in the ICA. “We need to bring in uniformity when it comes to welfare measures and remuneration,” he stressed.

While several state associations have already taken count of the suggestions made by the ICA representatives, the others are yet to understand the reality of the situation.

“The ICA after all is a body of former cricketers, so our intentions are well-meaning and we do bring in domain knowledge,” said ICA secretary Hitesh Majmudar. “We are also stressing on the state associations that they have to follow their new constitution regarding things like appointing the state selectors too. Every state, as per the Supreme Court order, has to form a Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) to appoint the selectors,” he added.

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Meanwhile, things are female cricketers’ representative Rajesh Nayyar believes there is a long way to despite the fact the road is much more difficult. “There is a grudging acceptance but there is a long way to go as yet,” said Nayyar.

“Women cricketers still face a lot of problems when it comes to things like infrastructure, with even requests for nets not always met with a positive response and so we asked our state representatives to slowly but surely work their way around such issues and get the best for the women cricketers,” she said.

The ICA which was set up from BCCI’s initial funding had already spent Rs 52 lakh in helping 60 individuals including retired first-class cricketers, widows of first-class cricketers as also one former Indian blind cricketer.

“Our representatives in the BCCI Apex Council, Anshuman Gaekwad and Shantha Rangaswamy, put forth our request to the BCCI to increase the gratis and medical reimbursement facilities. The BCCI has agreed to do so and is expected to process the same in the next couple of months,” said ICA Treasurer V Krishnaswamy.