ICC refuses to defend BCCI from Lodha committee reforms

In July 2016, the Supreme Court of India had told the BCCI that the reforms in the Lodha committee report need to be implemented—the first phase of reforms by September 30, and the next phase by the end of December. And like many sports, cricket also has the rule which states that the governments should not interfere in the administration of its member associations. Now, with the Lodha committee breathing down its neck, the BCCI had requested the ICC to send a letter to them so that the Supreme Court's interference can be limited. However, speaking to the PTI on Monday, the ICC Chief Executive Officer David Richardson said, "The BCCI president Mr Thakur did verbally ask the ICC to write a letter to the BCCI asking the BCCI to explain whether the recommendations of Lodha Committee might constitute government interference.

"But Mr Manohar said that the ICC should not write such a letter unless the BCCI first writes to the ICC requesting ICC to intervene, or ICC receives a letter from another of its member boards to do so. But no such letters have been received.”

"So I understand that Mr Manohar is reluctant to interfere in the domestic affairs of a member country. He will not do so without being formally requested to do so by the member concerned and nor is he prepared to put the ICC in a position where it could be perceived as challenging the authority of the Supreme Court of India.

"There were other board members present when that request was made by Mr Thakur. As far as I see, Mr Thakur actually criticised the ICC for not sending the letter," Richardson said.