Once upon a time world cricket was run by the Imperial Cricket Committee housed at the Marylebone Cricket Club's premises at Lord's in the heart of London.
Even though MCC has still been bestowed the honour of "framing" rules of the game, the power shift in international cricket administration has been most remarkable. ICC is no longer based in London but moved its headquarters the more tax-friendly environs of Dubai. And it was a step in the right direction since the game had indeed become a money-spinner in more ways than one.
The recent spat between the England and Wales Cricket Board and the Board of Control for Cricket in India is yet another example of ever-decreasing influence of the birthplace of the game on the global horizon.
ECB has appealed to ICC for resolution of the dispute regarding the five-Test series against India after BCCI questioned the home administration's claims of a "forfeiture" rather than a simple "cancellation".
Of course, the reasons for the difference of opinion is way beyond mere financial. The ECB would have hardly faced any significant losses despite a cancellation as all international cricket is played under the ICC rules which clearly stipulate that safety of the players and those involved directly with the running of the game is paramount. Plus insurance payouts more than cover expenses.
Hence Team India's reluctance to take the field at Manchester has plenty of plausible reasons, least of it being the fear of missing out on the cash-rich Indian Premier League due to start September 21 in the United Arab Emirates.
It now transpires that while BCCI had indeed requested ECB to wrap up the India series by September 5 in order to give players enough of a gap before the IPL, England preferred to delay the start till August 4.
That put Team India in a quandary as returning home was not practical given the tough restrictions on international travel. Indian players were twiddling their thumbs post June 24 when the World Test Championship final ended against New Zealand. England went through ODI and T20 contests against Sri Lanka and Pakistan through this period. Even these games ended by July 20, a full fortnight before the start of first Test against India.
ECB's seemingly rigid stance as to their summer schedule seems to backfired badly when Team India pulled out of the fifth and final Test while leading 2-1. More than the result of the series, its the ignominy of a cancellation that seems to have left rather bruised egos within ECB.
Now with BCCI adopting a "take it or leave it" stance ECB has been left with no option but to seek a resolution through the ICC.
BCCI's offer of extra game(s) as compensation seems to have done little to smooth the ruffled feathers and ECB has gone ahead with its demand of a forfeiture of the Manchester Test, quite understandably unacceptable to India.
A forfeiture means several things. England will draw the Test series 2-2, avoiding a home loss to India since 1974. Plus the series would have been technically completed, forcing the broadcast rights holders to pay up, something that is bound to go into re-negotiation in case of a cancelled game.
It would appear ECB may have bitten off more than it can chew.
Going by its own procedures and safety protocols for the prevailing Covid19 pandemic, ICC may have very wriggle room on the subject given the positive test result of Team India's assistant physiotherapist Yogesh Parmar. Coupled with the earlier positive result and isolation of chief coach Ravi Shastri along with bowling coach Bharat Arun and chief physio Nitin Patel gives the players more than sufficient reason to fear for their well-being.
That ECB did not provide a "bio-secure bubble" and instead chose a "controlled environment" may go against it too. After all ensuring safety and security of all concerned is the primary responsibility of the hosts.
Given the scenario, it hardly appears that ECB's appeal may not cut much ice with ICC. No longer does ECB enjoy the pride of place on the ICC board as it did several decades ago. And neither does its diktat run beyond the borders of the United Kingdom.
Welcome to the new world cricket order!
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