The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Devajit Saikia on Friday offered no clear answers on the future of men’s selection committee chief Ajit Agarkar but said that “15 days is a long time in the world of cricket.”“We still have fifteen days to go. Fifteen days is a long time in the world of cricket. We will take a decision in appropriate time and we will let you know about it. Today, there was no discussion on any individual,” Saikia said after the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting at the BCCI headquarters.This comes after BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla said earlier in the day that the board has authorised its office-bearers to take a decision on the future of the men’s senior selection committee headed by Ajit Agarkar.“Arun Singh Dhumal, Majumdar retain IPL governing council posts; AGM authorises office-bearers to take a decision on selectors,” Shukla said after attending the meeting at the BCCI headquarters.BCCI president Mithun Manhas, vice-president Rajeev Shukla, secretary Devajit Saikia, Bengal Cricket Association president Sourav Ganguly, and Jharkhand State Cricket Association secretary Saurabh Tiwary were among the officials present at the AGM.Agarkar was appointed chairman of the men’s senior selection committee in July 2023, and his contract is scheduled to end next month.Meanwhile, Saikia also said the BCCI has begun appointing a new five-member junior selection committee. “We have received a very large number of applicants, so we are shortlisting it, and once the shortlisting is completed, then we will give it to our cricket committee, who will be the competent authority to select the selectors for the junior selection committee, so that process is going on, and we are trying to complete it within the next 10-15 days time, to constitute the junior selection committee, because all five selectors’ tenure is going to be over very soon,” Saikia said.‘Lot of time & processes for BCCI to come under Sports Act’Saikia clarified that there was plenty of time before the BCCI would come under the National Sports Governance (NSG) Act. The Supreme Court recently asked the BCCI and its state associations to clarify their position following multiple litigations involving various associations either for minor changes in their constitution or disputes arising from factionalism.Saikia clarified that the BCCI was not averse to coming under the new Sports Act, provided the government completes a few processes.“So, regarding the Sports Act, our stand is very clear. There are a lot of things which are yet to be done by the concerned authority; once those exercises are completed, and once BCCI comes under the Sports Act, a particular notification has to be issued to make it a designated sport. Till that time, we are not supposed to do anything. Whenever that notification comes, we will immediately spring into action. We will then do our work as per the new sports rules,” Saikia said.“We are paying Rs 3,000 crore tax annually to the government. Unlike other sports federations, we don’t take any government funding. Hence, cricket cannot be treated as a ‘designated sport’ under the National Sports Governance Act 2025,” Saikia pointed out.Promotion & relegation introduced for domestic umpiresSaikia said that the BCCI will introduce a system of promotion and relegation for umpires in domestic cricket, with 10 umpires being promoted and 10 relegated after every season.“All the umpires’ postings will be as per merit. We have an assessing team under the umpires’ board. They will be given assignments according to their merit – whether it is knockouts or important games. After every season, there will be a system of relegation and upgradation. Ten umpires at the end of every season will be promoted, and ten will be relegated. This will make them very alert throughout the season, and that will ultimately help the game of cricket because some players’ futures depend on decisions of the umpires. They have to be very competent and alert,” he stated.As reported by TOI on Friday, Saikia confirmed that the BCCI had decided to increase the pay of domestic match referees and umpires from the upcoming season. “There was no revision of fees of the umpires for almost ten years from 2017-18. Earlier there were four categories – A+, A, B, C; now we have restricted it to A, B, C, D. Their per-day fees have been enhanced substantially. We have also enhanced the fee structure of the match referees,” Saikia said.‘IPL to start from last week of March’Saikia revealed that “IPL-2027 will start from the last week of March.” He said that the BCCI has grand plans to celebrate its 100th anniversary (in 2028) and the IPL’s 20th anniversary next year. “In Dec 2028, we will complete 100 years of the BCCI, so we will do centenary celebrations from Dec 2027 for one year. The IPL, which will start from March next year, will have its 20th edition. We have discussed that it should be done in a grand way. We have also seen a presentation (on it) after the AGM,” Saikia said.Saikia also informed that Shubhadeep Ghosh, who is India’s fielding coach, has been appointed on a short-term basis.BGT Test on in RanchiMeanwhile, former India batter Saurabh Tiwary, currently the secretary of the Jharkhand State Cricket Association (JSCA), rubbished reports of Ranchi being replaced as a venue for next year’s Border-Gavaskar Trophy due to poor weather conditions. The marquee five-Test series will begin on Jan 21 in Nagpur, with Chennai, Guwahati, Ranchi and Ahmedabad hosting the other four Tests.“There is no change in the venue. If anybody has to write to the BCCI about it, it should be me and I have not written it,” Tiwary told the media.“There are six to seven months left (for the Ranchi Test). We don’t have any such request or proposal that there are some issues regarding the Ranchi Test,” Saikia said.
