Players awaiting BCCI's 'official response'
In the continuing battle of attrition, India's leading cricketers kept the guessing game on, waiting
for the Board of Control for Cricket in India's response to the International Cricket Council's decision to reject their
demands on the contract issue while giving them more time to reconsider their decision.
A day after the ICC decided to give the Indian players more time to sign the contract for next month's Champions Trophy, members of the Indian team in England said they are awaiting an "official response" from the BCCI.
"We have only read what has appeared in the newspapers
but would rather have an official word on it," a senior player
said on Sunday, on condition of anonymity.
The ICC Executive Board, which met in Dubai on Saturday, rejected a written plea, signed by Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, from the Indian players, offering to play in the tournament without signing the controversial Players' Terms
agreement.
BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya, who attended the
meeting, claimed that the ICC had given an assurance that it would
look into the Indian players' issue and discuss it after the
Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka, scheduled in the second week of
this month.
But the Indian players are asking for more than a mere
verbal assurance to commit themselves on the Champions Trophy
and sign the Players Terms as it exists today.
"Not only do we want a written assurance, we are also unable
to decide either way today as most of the players could not be
contacted," said the senior player.
The touring Indian cricketers had a break from
practice on Sunday and most went visiting relatives and friends or just shopping.
"We also don't want to get too bogged down ahead of
the Oval Test," said another senior player, pointing out how
important it is for the team to concentrate on recording
their first Test series win outside the subcontinent in 16
years.
India and England are tied 1-1 in the four-match series
with the final Test scheduled to begin at The Oval on
Thursday.
The Indians are objecting to a clause in the agreement
that requires them to forego their individual endorsements 30
days before and after an ICC event in favour of the official
sponsors of the tournament in case of a clash of interest.
The Indians took a conciliatory step forward by offering
to convince their sponsors not to air the conflicting
advertisments during the 18-day period of the tournament. But
they have consistently refused to sign the agreement.
The ICC contract controversy - the complete coverage
Mail Cricket Editor
