Not looking for escape but have right to deliberate: Anurag Thakur

NEW DELHI: The BCCI today said it is "not looking for an escape route" but needs to time to implement the Lodha Committee recommendations on reforms in cricket administration, in comments that came a day after the Supreme Court talked tough on the issue.

The Supreme Court had told the Board to fall in line and implement the sweeping reforms suggested by the Lodha Committee. Board Secretary Anurag Thakur said the BCCI has "every right to deliberate" on the pros and cons of the report before going ahead with its recommendations.

"The BCCI is not looking for an escape route. We believe in transparency and accountability. In the last nine months, we have done things which would indicate that we are in the right direction. The Lodha committee has recommended many things but every member has right to look into the recommendations," BCCI Secretary Anurag Thakur said in a press conference, here today.

However, when asked about the logic and plausibility of some of the recommendations, Thakur's reply was: "I will reserve my comments on that."

But it was clear that the top brass of BCCI is not entirely happy with the recommendations.

"In 1983, when India won the World Cup, we did not have any money to pay our champion team. But now it is different. It is not that everything that has happened in the last 30-40 years in the BCCI has been all wrong. So while taking any steps, that should also be taken into account," Thakur said.

Thakur also said the BCCI's legal team has been looking into the matter and there will be deliberations on the findings on February 7. In fact, a Special General Meeting of state associations will be summoned in the third week of February and after that a collective viewpoint will be given by the parent body.