Roger Binny, the former Indian swing bowler, has taken over from Saurav Ganguly as the BCCI President. Whether his appointment is right or wrong, only time can tell. However, I am pleased that for the second consecutive time, a cricketer has been appointed as the board president. It is time the board is run by cricketers and not administrators though administrators can help the cricketers in the smooth functioning of the board. Ultimately, they must all report to a cricketer. If that cricketer is of repute, all the more good. Let me analyse Roger Binny the new BCCI president.

Binny played the game when the game wasn’t commercially successful as compared to now. The payment for the players were quite less. They seldom stayed in top hotels and travelled in first class on the plane all the time. Binny and his compatriots played the game because of their passion to represent India at the highest level. Even the BCCI during his career wasn’t this rich. They hardly had money to pay the salaries.

Times have changed and now, BCCI is the board that is running this cricketing world. Everyone dare not say a word against BCCI. A tour by the Indian team will help the host nation to settle their dues. Such is the power of the BCCI though it is brought about by us the fanatics on this beautiful land. For someone who has played the game in that era, this will be a massive challenge.

At 67, Binny is eligible for one term of 3 years as president, keeping in mind the age cap of 70 meant for administrators and office bearers in the BCCI constitution. Binny moved into coaching, served as a national selector, and also as Karnataka State Cricket Association administrator before becoming the BCCI chief.

Binny did not influence his son’s selection

To Binny’s credit, during the time when he was a selector, his son, Stuart Binny was thought of as a potential all-rounder for the Indian team. Whenever his name came up, Binny will recuse himself so that his presence does not influence his son’s selection. Selectors at time were all praise for Binny because he did not make things awkward for them in the selection meetings.

Binny has also had a successful stint as the vice-president of the Karnataka State Cricket Association back in 2010. His management skills is quite underrated in the sense that he was one of the key mediator between 2 different factions at a time when the KSCA was split between two rival cabals. One led by Brijesh Patel and the other by Kumble.

Binny’s first optimistic comment

Binny says that he wants to get to the bottom of the reason players are getting injured quite frequently. It is a noble thought. One that must be addressed in all its seriousness. Indian players are getting injured way too quickly and it affects the team composition.

“We will look to improve on what we can do to reduce the injuries to players,” Binny said in an informal chat with members of the media. “Players getting frequently injured is a concern, and we wish to get to the bottom of it all and see how it can be changed for the better.

Even for the ongoing T20 World Cup, India do not have the services of two of their most influential players. Bumrah and Jadeja. Both of them are out of the series and possibly for a longer time because of injuries. Rohit Sharma is often injured and so is Bhuvneswar Kumar. Injury management must be made top priority. It is good that India do have the reserves who can replace these players but are they of top quality is somewhat doubtful. It is important to have the best players play in tournaments and Test matches.

Pitches with bounce and carry

Another important point that Binny stressed is that need to improve the quality of the pitches throughout the country. This must be the case at the Ranji level. It sure will improve the quality of cricket that the team can play in challenging conditions. The problem is that almost every board president talks about improving the pitches but no one has done anything about it. What are the chances of Binny changing this? I think it is less than 10%.

Back in his days, the Indian board did not have the money to alter the pitches. Now that they have, it is very much possible. Ofcourse, not every ground will be possible because of the soil and other things but a substantial number of grounds can be changed.

If Binny can walk the talk, Indian cricket will be indebted to him forever. Will be able to or more precisely, will he be allowed to?

Improving the experience of the spectators

I do not have any hope of that happening. It could be Binny or Ganguly or Dalmiya, the spectators will have to undergo a torrid time in the stadiums across the country. This will be the norm forever.

Wrapping up Roger Binny the new BCCI president

Binny has had good exposure in administration. As vice-president of KSCA and as a national selector. Good things are expected from a person who played in an era purely for the love of the sport. Will he be able to turn things around? After, Ganguly’s disappointing tenure, I better do not get my hopes raised.

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Some of cricket’s greatest rivalries

Cricket is a game that thrives on rivalries. Sport for that matter thrives on rivalries. Otherwise, there is no connect with the game. This article looks at some of cricket’s greatest rivalries. India vs Pakistan The India vs Pakistan cricket rivalry is one of the most intense sporting rivalries in the world. This rivalry goes beyond just the sport, with a long-standing political and cultural conflict between the two nations. Whenever these two teams meet on the cricket field, it is a high-pressure affair that is watched by millions of fans around the world. The history of the India-Pakistan cricket rivalry dates back to 1952, when the two teams played their first test match against each other. Since then, the two teams have played each other in a total of 199 matches, with India winning 131 and Pakistan winning 74. The two teams have also faced each other in six ICC World Cup matches, with India winning all six. The India-Pakistan cricket rivalry is known for its intense matches, with both teams fighting hard to win. One of the most memorable matches in the history of this rivalry was the 2007 T20 World Cup final, where India defeated Pakistan by just five runs. This match was watched by millions of fans around the world and is still talked about today. The India-Pakistan cricket rivalry is not just about the matches played on the field. The rivalry goes beyond cricket, with both countries having a long-standing political conflict. This conflict is reflected on the cricket field, with matches between these two nations often becoming heated affairs. The India-Pakistan cricket rivalry is also known for its passionate fans. Both countries have a huge fan base, with fans from both nations often traveling long distances to watch their team play. The matches between these two nations are always played in a packed stadium, with fans from both sides cheering their team on. In recent years, the India-Pakistan cricket rivalry has been affected by political tensions between the two nations. The two teams have not played a bilateral series since 2012, with their only meetings coming in ICC events. However, the rivalry between the two nations is still as intense as ever, with fans eagerly waiting for the next India-Pakistan match. In conclusion, the India vs Pakistan cricket rivalry is one of the most intense sporting rivalries in the world. It goes beyond just the sport, with a long-standing political and cultural conflict between the two nations. Matches between these two nations are always high-pressure affairs, watched by millions of fans around the world. Despite the political tensions between the two nations, the rivalry between India and Pakistan on the cricket field is still as intense as ever. England vs Australia The rivalry between England and Australia in cricket is one of the oldest and most intense in the sport. The two nations have been playing against each other for over a century, and their rivalry has become one of the most celebrated sporting rivalries in the world. The rivalry between England and Australia is often referred to as "The Ashes" due to the tiny urn that is awarded to the winning team of the Test series between the two nations. The Ashes series has been contested since 1882, and it is one of the most fiercely contested events in cricket. The rivalry between England and Australia is not just about cricket. It is a rivalry that goes beyond the sport, with a deep cultural and historical significance. England and Australia have a long history of political, economic, and cultural exchanges, which has influenced their cricket rivalry. The England vs Australia cricket rivalry is known for its fiercely competitive matches, with both teams fighting hard to win. The two teams have played each other in a total of 353 matches, with Australia winning 144 and England winning 109. The remaining matches have been drawn or tied. One of the most memorable moments in the history of the England vs Australia cricket rivalry was in the 2005 Ashes series. England won the series 2-1, with the fifth and final test match being one of the most intense and closely fought matches in the history of cricket. The match went down to the wire, with England winning by just two runs, which is still considered one of the greatest moments in the history of cricket. The England vs Australia cricket rivalry is also known for its passionate fans. Both nations have a huge fan base, and fans from both sides are known for their witty and at times ruthless banter during the matches. The Ashes series is played in packed stadiums, with fans from both sides cheering their team on. In conclusion, the England vs Australia cricket rivalry is one of the most intense and celebrated sporting rivalries in the world. The two nations have a deep cultural and historical significance, which has influenced their cricket rivalry. The Ashes series is fiercely contested, with both teams fighting hard to win. The rivalry between England and Australia is not just about cricket, it is a rivalry that goes beyond the sport, with a deep cultural and historical significance. South Africa vs Australia The rivalry between South Africa and Australia in cricket is one of the most intense and competitive in the sport. The two nations have a long history of playing against each other, and their rivalry is often marked by fiercely contested matches. The South Africa vs Australia cricket rivalry dates back to 1902, when the two nations played their first test match against each other. Since then, they have played a total of 104 test matches, with Australia winning 51 and South Africa winning 27. The remaining matches have been drawn. One of the most memorable moments in the history of the South Africa vs Australia cricket rivalry was in the 1999 Cricket World Cup semi-final. In a closely contested match, Australia defeated South Africa by just one run, which is still considered one of the greatest matches in the history of cricket. The South Africa vs Australia cricket rivalry is known for its fiercely competitive matches, with both teams fighting hard to win. The two teams have a similar style of play, which often results in high-scoring matches with fast-paced action. The South Africa vs Australia cricket rivalry is also marked by the intense atmosphere in which the matches are played. Both nations have passionate fans who fill up the stadiums and create a lively atmosphere. The matches between these two nations are always played in front of a packed stadium, with fans from both sides cheering their team on. In recent years, the South Africa vs Australia cricket rivalry has been affected by controversies and clashes between the players. In 2018, the ball-tampering scandal involving the Australian cricket team in a test match against South Africa created a huge controversy and strained the relations between the two nations. In conclusion, the South Africa vs Australia cricket rivalry is one of the most intense and competitive rivalries in the sport. The two nations have a long history of playing against each other, with matches often marked by fiercely contested action. The rivalry is known for its intense atmosphere and passionate fans, with matches played in front of a packed stadium. While controversies have sometimes strained relations between the two nations, the rivalry between South Africa and Australia on the cricket field remains one of the most fiercely contested in the sport.

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