BOMBAY, 3 October 2003 — In a few months, the Board of Control for Cricket in India will be entering its 75th year of existence, so what if no great plans appear on the horizon to celebrate the distinct landmark.

What counted most last weekend was the holding of one more annual general meeting and elections.

With the incumbent President Jagmohan Dalmiya commanding a steam-roller majority, he got all that he wanted.

If any changes were made, they were forced on the house by the sudden withdrawal of former Test player Brijesh Patel on account of his sudden heart surgery.

His place on the selection committee went to former stumper Syed Kirmani.

It must be rare indeed for any country to have two wicketkeepers on its national selection committee.

Even when the platinum jubilee is on hand, there appears to be a lack of sense of history among the BCCI members.

From viceroys to governors, maharajahs to princes, and latter-day ministers and politicians have been its patrons and presidents. The BCCI has, however, not always enjoyed a high reputation of harmony.

It has particularly handled issues concerning players with either ambiguity or antagonism, at times, both.

Things have changed considerably today, with the players themselves bringing in so much money.

The likes of Bishen Bedi, Sunil Gavaskar and Mohinder Amarnath have had to fight their battles against impending suspension and banishment from the team, for speaking their minds out.

Some have suffered silently because they were not big enough to take on the administrators.

If not the players, the Board members have often turned against each other.

S. Sriraman of Tamil Nadu finally became the president in 1985, after having his rightful claim slammed twice in the sparring between two politicians.

The man who helped build the first of the modern stadia. S. K. Wankhede, was a popular choice, even if it meant breaking a tradition of the seniormost vice-president taking over.

Wankhede’s tenure was, however, cut short when a faction brought in Union Minister N.K. P. Salve.

Wankhede wanted to contest but just when he was girding his loins, a twin-tragedy struck him.

He lost his life-partner of 45 years.

When he rushed to the hospital on hearing the news, he slipped and fell and fractured his left leg.

Salve eventually bought his honor with Wankhede’s sorrow.

This series of such elections brought in their wake similar out-of-turn presidential candidates, with the rotation system being circumvented by shifting associations.

Madhavrao Scindia, I. S. Bindra and the reigning Jagmohan Dalmiya, have all gained their ascendancy in that manner.

There is no convention that the selectors be former international players.

The choice of selectors reflects the balance of power within the board. Vote banks are created on zonal basis.

It would thus be too idealistic to think that this panel is set up impartially.

The quota system in the selection of various representative national teams is a direct fallout of this peculiar system.

A worthy was responsible for one of the biggest comedy of errors. It happened when the probables were to be picked for the oncoming series against the West Indies in 1966-67.

M. Dutta Ray, who enjoyed the unique distinction of being the chairman of the national cricket as well as the football selection committees, took upon himself to do the job single-handedly.

In a chat with journalists, Ray invited names and suggestions.

A colleague mentioned Ajit Wadekar as being an outstanding young batsman.

Since he was in a hurry to attend the Rovers Cup final between his club, Mohun Bagan and East Bengal, he started the names in a hurry.

He could not remember Wadekar.

His eyes fell on a bold headline in an eveninger lying on the table which said “Arun Varde hero of Shivaji Park victory.

“What followed was obvious.”

At the Cooperage, the same colleague asked “Dada, have you included Wadekar?” A confused Dutta Ray said “Is that the name? Well I think I got someone else.

“He then rushed to the BCCI office to make the change, Wadekar for Varde.

Not that Wadekar would not have been picked, because he was in terrific form.

But if he had not been, it would have been a tragedy about the ignorance of a chairman of a selection committee, who had never played the game at any level.