Old guard wants pull-out, COA warns of consequences

A section of BCCI's old guard, especially from the N Srinivasan faction, is set to advocate a pull-out from the Champions Trophy despite the Committee of Administrators' (COA) warning of possible consequences.

The COA met the state units in two sessions ahead of tomorrow's Special General Meeting where implications of a pull-out were discussed threadbare.

It is learnt that North and East Zone units members are against a pull-out while the South Zone, which is still controlled by Srinivasan, is in favour of a pull-out.

Some old timers like Niranjan Shah of Saurashtra (west zone) openly advocated pullout to "teach the ICC a lesson".

It could be a mixed mandate if the governing body decides on floor test.

For the record, Railways, Services and All India Universities are institutional votes in which the decision will be taken at the top government level. Even more serious was conflicting versions about team selection. Acting president CK Khanna stated that May 8 is team selection date but joint Secretary Amitabh Chaudhary sarcastically

said: "I am the convener and I don't know that there's a team selection on Monday (May 8)!"

However, according to another senior office-bearer, acting president Khanna is not off the mark.

"If Amitabh doesn't convene the meeting, there is every possibility that CEO Rahul Johri will instruct MSK Prasad and Co. to announce the team," the office bearer. The North and East zone units met COA first on Saturday followed by West and South "COA chief Vinod Rai told us that if BCCI goes for a pullout then they won't shy away from moving the Supreme Court.

"He told the senior office-bearers (joint Secretary Amitabh Chaudhary and treasurer Aniruddh Chaudhry) that negotiations are paramount," an official from an institutional unit said on Saturday.

It is learnt that COA apprised the members of how India will have to pull out of all ICC tourneys till 2023.