Sundar Raman in line to become BCCI advisor on ICC

Mumbai Mirror has reported that the new dispensation is planning to have Sundar Raman, an expert on the international cricket market as an advisor to the Apex Council or the new president. Whether it would be a formal official position or an external advisory role is something that will be worked out. 

The revenue model, of which Sundar Raman was one of the authors, gave India, England and Australia primacy in the International Cricket Council (ICC) giving them higher revenue. After N Srinivasan was replaced by Shashank Manohar as ICC chairman in 2016, the model has been changed, but since then, the Old Guard of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has been fiercely opposing the ICC policy towards the BCCI. The topic of availing Sundar Raman's service was discussed during the recent Mumbai meeting. 

The BCCI is preparing for a fight against the ICC with the aggressive rhetoric of president-elect Sourav Ganguly being no coincidence as he has been well advised on the BCCI position vis-à-vis ICC. 

"We will have to get the BCCI at the ICC back where we belong. There have been a lot of issues for good four-five years. The BCCI is so important to the ICC. It not only generates the funds; which is one part but the popularity of the game matters. India is unbelievable and has a huge role to play in the ICC and we need to be respected which at the moment is not happening," Ganguly said to Mumbai Mirror after filing his nomination the other day. 

The immediate flashpoint could be the new Future Tours Programme (FTP) which proposes eight global events in the next eight-year cycle (from 2023) and the BCCI believes that it is against the interest of the members. At least one section in the BCCI thinks that the plan is to generate extra revenue for the world body at the cost of BCCI as an ICC event will claim a portion of the cricketing window every year.