The war between the chief arbiter of Indian cricket, the Board of Control for Cricket in India, and the Supreme Court-appointed Lodha committee is interestingly poised. Who will blink first, wonder those following the arguments in the court closely. Will the BCCI be forced into accepting all the proposed reforms, which could well change its character fundamentally, or will the board get away with a few cosmetic changes?
The answers to these questions will be revealed soon, but the BCCI vs Lodha Committee battle may have some unlikely beneficiaries—other sports federations. Although Justice (retd) Lodha’s recommendations are for cricket, in the months and years to come, they could prove to be the catalyst for change that everyone hopes for in other Indian sports federations. Can these reforms, drafted by a panel of three former Supreme Court judges, headed by retired chief justice R.M. Lodha, have a far-reaching, positive impact on Indian sports, rubbing off on other...