Sourav Ganguly-Led BCCI Has Not Done Anything For Former Players Yet: ICA Chief Ashok Malhotra

Indina Cricketers Association chief Ashok Malhotra has come down heavily on Sourav Ganguly-led BCCI for not making the changes which were demanded for the former players. Malhotra is of the opinion that it has been 10 months since Sourav Ganguly was appointed the BCCI president but since the nothing has changed.

For the uninitiated, there have been demands to include pension for former players who have played less than 25 first-class games, pension for widows of former cricketers, increase in medical insurance from Rs 5 lakh to 10 lakh and a benevolent fund to Manoj Prabhakar, whose BCCI ban ended in 2005 for match-fixing charges against him.

But as of now, none of them has been met. Malhotra said the ICA was formed for the welfare of players and some of them are as old as 70 and cannot go on and wait forever. He also claimed that the BCCI Apex council understands the plight of former cricketers and should work towards fulfilling their demands.

“It has been close to 10 months (since the Sourav Ganguly-led BCCI took charge) but nothing has happened for the former players. The ICA after all, is for the welfare of former cricketers and some of them who are as old as 70, cannot wait forever,” Malhotra told PTI.

“I request the BCCI again to look into our demands. There are three former cricketers on the BCCI Apex Council (Ganguly and ICA representatives Shantha Rangaswamy and Anshuman Gaekwad. I am sure they understand the plight of the former cricketers. Four meetings (Apex Council) have taken place but nothing has happened,” he said.

Malhotra has also been accused by the ICA directors for his public statements which were made without discussing internally.