New Delhi: International Cricket Council’s outgoing chairperson Greg Barclay expects his predecessor Jay Shah to address calendar clogging while taking efforts to pull it out from under the clutches of India.
Shah began his tenure at the ICC on December 1 after leaving post of secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India. Barclay stepped down after four years amidst the row over Champions Trophy hosting rights.
India’s refusal to play in Pakistan as put the future of the tournament that is scheduled to begin in February 19 under jeopardy. The ICC is yet to make a decision even as reports suggest the idea of a hybrid model has been mooted with India’s matches moved to the UAE from Lahore.
Shah’s first task as the ICC chair would be to find a way to solve the standstill, having cited the Indian government’s reservations over security issues in Pakistan to decline sending the team when he was with the BCCI.
But apart from that Shah has multiple challenges in front of him as cricket is struggling to grow as a global game though Barclay expressed confidence on the Indian.
“I think he (Shah) has got a great opportunity to use what he’s got in his background to help India take the game to another level, but without making it sort of under the yoke of India as well,” Barclay was quoted as saying by British daily The Telegraph.
“We’re really lucky to have India, they’re a massive contributor to the game across all the measures, but one country having that amount of power and influence does distort a whole lot of other outcomes, which is not necessarily helpful in terms of that global growth.
“There are a number of things that India could do to help unite and grow the game, including commercially helping to pool off-shore rights, using their teams to give opportunity to smaller full members and emerging countries, using their clout to open new territories and markets, collaborating closely with the ICC to help benefit members, as examples,” he said.
‘Congested calendar a mess’
Barclay identified congested calendar to be one of the prime issues that needs urgent attention from the ICC, as currently there is an overkill of cricket.
“I reckon, gee, I’m at the apex of the game and I can’t tell you who’s playing around the world. In fact, I didn’t realise that Sri Lanka were in South Africa until I read about Marco Jansen’s seven wickets this morning,” he said.
“So we’ve lost perspective. It’s not great for the game at all. It’s a mess. The calendar is incredibly congested and self-interest is such that it’s almost impossible to untangle all of that, because no one’s going to give up their content.”
Barclay also criticised Cricket Australia’s stance of not playing a bilateral series against against Afghanistan but playing them in ICC events.
“If you really want to make a political statement, don’t play them in a World Cup. Sure, it might cost you a semifinal place, but principles are principles. It’s not about having half a principle,” he said.
Jay Shah began his tenure as the ICC chair on December 1, replacing Greg Barclay who stepped down after four years amidst an ongoing row over Champions Trophy hosting duties. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
