Board of Control for Cricket in India
Cricket was initially a British sport until they introduced it to India in the 17th century. The Board of Control for Cricket in India, famously known as BCCI, is the authoritative body that controls the Indian cricket world.
History and Evolution of BCCI in India
It’s interesting to learn about the history of cricket and the founding of the BCCI in India. Once in the 17th century, when the British ship docked at Kutch, the sailors engaged in recreational activities such as sports and exercises. According to the available reports, the sport they played was India’s first evidence of cricket.
In 1792 the British expatriates established the Calcutta Cricket Club (CCC), which marked a watershed moment in Indian sports history. Later, in 1848, the Parsis, the first Indian citizens to play cricket, founded the Oriental Cricket Club in Mumbai. The sports enthusiasts created two other organizations, the Young Zoroastrians Club and the Hindu Gymkhana, in 1850 and 1866, respectively.
Local cricket contests gradually evolved into international games. Cricket began to acquire massive popularity throughout the country.
By 1926, two CCC delegates had attended an ICC (International Cricket Council) conference, which prompted the idea of including India in the ICC. As a result, the need for an official Board of Control of Indian authority arose in December 1928, resulting in the foundation of today’s BCCI. R.E. Grant Govan, a British industrialist, became the first president of BCCI.
The headquarters of the BCCI is at the Cricket Centre, Wankhede Stadium, Mumbai.
Goals
All cricket bodies in India merged to form the BCCI. There were specific goals behind the development of this individual cricket council.
The prime objectives of BCCI were:
- Promoting and safeguarding the values and sporting activities associated with cricket in India.
- Analyzing and offering feedback for game development.
- Developing sportsmanship and professionalism
- Choosing the team, the coaches, and the managers who will manage and teach the team to perform effectively in international and national competitions, etc.
BCCI Membership
BCCI has two categories of membership; associate membership and full membership. Only one person from each recognized state cricket organization can be a member of the BCCI. There are some exceptions in Gujarat and Maharashtra, where three sitting members of the respective cricket committees can continue as full members.
Every year the Annual General meeting takes place to analyze the activities. Full Members can elect deserving candidates to fill the following positions:
- President: The president oversees all meetings and discussions under BCCI. He has the right to sign the audited annual records of the council. Roger Binny is the current BCCI president, succeeding former India cricket team captain Sourav Ganguly. Binny is the 36th president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)
- Vice president: Vice president has the right to manage the meetings and other duties in the absence of the president.
- Secretary: In BCCI, the secretary has certain powers. A BCCI secretary’s various responsibilities include keeping data up to date, preserving meeting minutes, signing in yearly reports, scheduling meetings on time, and so on. He is also in charge of all documents of the General Body, Apex Council, Governing Council, and other committees.
- Joint Secretary: A joint secretary assists the secretary in all affairs and takes charge if needed.
- Treasurer: The treasurer is in charge of handling monetary transactions as well as preparing balance sheets and account statements. He is one of the three individuals that sign yearly audits and financial statements.
Role of BCCI in the Indian Economy
For the smooth functioning of the team, the board has set the regulations and guidelines for the national team.
- BCCI can decide the venue of the matches and with whom the team has to play.
- It controls state matches like Renji Trophy, Challenger series, Duleep Trophy, and the IPL(Indian Premier League).
- It has the power to grant the rights to media and sponsorship.
The council will evaluate the progress and contribute to developing Indian cricket teams, including national and state-level and women’s national cricket teams. Aside from that, BCCI has hosted several ICC world cups also.
After winning the World Cup in England in 1983, India became a cricketing hotspot. Players rose to fame, and the BCCI profited handsomely due to their success.IPL, one of the world’s biggest leagues, plays a significant role in the Indian economy. The BCCI’s expansion was rapid, and today it has become the wealthiest cricket-regulating organization in the world.
