POSTSCRIPT SPORTS

Big Brother BCCIs Watching!

By tightening its iron-fisted grip over the media, the Board of Control for Cricket in India has morphed into the thought police of a Big Brother.
by Sharda Ugra

the TV rights to cricket in India until 2012) even purchased its n May and June this year, when the Indian Premier own outside broadcast vans. Ownership over Indian cricket League (IPL) was, much to its self-regarding outrage, being was to be established at every level. hauled away for questioning, N Srinivasan, president of Much of this could be put down to Lalit Modis desire to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), found himcommercialise every inch of the Indian cricket property. self trailed by reporters, cameras and mikes. Distinctly disBut when the rst round of IPL sleaze excised Modi from the pleased, as he headed for his car on one occasion, Srinivasan system in 2010, his philosophy was kept alive. Indias wealth (Srini, to friends) barked out: Why are you hounding me? had earned it the right to become crickets Big Brother. When, The simple answer? His son-in-law, Gurunath Meiyappan, high ofcial/team principal of the Chennai Super Kings, during the 2011 tour of England, former England captain Srinivasans beloved IPL team, had been arrested by the Nasser Hussain criticised BCCIs obduracy over the Decision Mumbai police for placing bets during the IPL. On the day in Review System (DRS), Shastris rebuttal was slightly petulant: question, Srinivasan was three stories on two legs BCCI England are jealous about the way IPL is going, jealous that India is chief, IPL team owner, father-in-law. The most powerful man No.1 in world cricket, jealous that India are world champions. They are jealous because of too much money being made by BCCI. in cricket tripped up by a black sheep in the family who had toppled his business. Whats not to hound? A simple answer The repercussions of that skirmish went deep when Engto that question: because Srini was in the dock, because the land toured India a year later. Star Sports won media rights media are hounds, because they we can. for all cricket played in India but BCCI retained its BCCI has become It was a twisted, ironic turning of the tables on hold over production rights. Through production not only the man under whose regime BCCI has become came the full force of Big Brothers thought police. enormously richer not only enormously richer but also enormously Commentators on the home networks were told but also enormously in control of the messages around Indian cricket. that three topics were taboo, never to be brought in control of the During the IPL corruption scandal, those messages, up on air: selection, administration and DRS. messages around for perhaps the rst time in his reign, had gone Then followed a bitter battle over the cost of Indian cricket out of Srinivasans control. His otherwise glacial providing space and access to Sky TV and BBC disdain for a notoriously ckle 247 media was suddenly radio in the broadcast areas at grounds. Sky had paid Star for the world feed, but a BCCI ofcial hufly asked why the Sky put under unrelenting headlights and left unprotected by commentary team should be given access in Indian grounds either his position or inuence. without a cost: So that Hussain and others can come here BCCIs relationship with the independent, mainstream and criticise India? The inability to accept criticism was media has gone from general chumminess to a teeth-gritting turned into a national project. Skys expert team worked out tolerance on either side. During the last ve years, the time of studios in west London. when Srinivasan rose from BCCI treasurer to secretary to BCCI then refused accreditation to photo agency Getty president, the Board has become more determined to tighten Images for its use of Indian cricket pictures for commercial an iron-sted grip over the media, starting with the medium gain rather than editorial purposes. A media coalition made that generates the bulk of its revenues and reaches an of wire services like Reuters, Associated Press (AP) and audience of millions television. Agence France-Presse (AFP) boycotted the matches in protest. In 2008, BCCI put Sunil Gavaskar and Ravi Shastri on its Most certainly, there are commercial constraints at work payroll with gargantuan price tags. Sunny & Ravi Inc in each of these incidents. In the past, overseas broadcasters became mandatory mascots, required to be on commentary have talked through requirements and arrived at agreeable duty wherever India played, regardless of who owned the TV fees or quid pro quo arrangements. Even in the case of the rights. The two most inuential Indian voices on cricket England tour, solutions could have been worked out, but BCCI television were safely co-opted. Their signing coincided chose to bring in the heavies. Sanjay Manjrekar, who did with the advent of the IPL and the rise of BCCIs Midas-like studio work for the England series for Star had tweeted monetiser, Lalit Modi. The Gavaskar-Shastri duopoly was a Fans like Boycott. Only guy who is free from BCCI shackles beginning. As revenues skyrocketed through the IPL, BCCI set on our show, before pulling it off his Twitter account. The up its own independent TV production unit. This new team kerfufe with Getty continues; when Australia toured India (partly cannibalised from Neo Sports/Nimbus who owned
74
september 21, 2013 vol xlviII no 38
EPW Economic & Political Weekly

POSTSCRIPT SPORTS | CINEMA

in early 2013, Ian Chappell refused to be a part of the commentary team because of BCCIs unwritten three-point dont-do list. Commentary during the series sounded programmed and tinny: catches that went down after hitting Virat Kohli on the chest and M S Dhoni on his wrist were called half-chances. In the IPL that followed, commentators Danny Morrison and H D Ackerman, in their high-volume excitement, introduced Virat Kohli, talking of him as a possible future captain of India. That happened to be the last IPL game both worked on. Big Brother was watching and listening. Since the IPLs second round of sleaze hit the headlines (but not on IPLTV, where the games greats made no reference to it), there came one nal squeeze this time, on the players. Quiet words have been had with Virat Kohli, Cheteshwar Pujara and Rohit Sharma for giving interviews to newspapers. Sharma called up one reporter, requesting him to spike the interview. This, after the players had produced the best news around Indian cricket in months by winning the Champions Trophy. On 19 July, 35 contracted players were sent an email which read:
Dear All, Trust you are well. You are requested to refrain from giving interviews to the media, without the prior, written permission of the BCCI. Regards, Sanjay Patel, Hony. Secretary, BCCI.

Never let it be said the BCCIs Ministry of Truth doesnt ll in its paperwork.
Sharda Ugra (Sharda.Ugra@espn.com), a senior editor at ESPNcricinfo.com, has been a sports journalist for almost 24 years.

Economic & Political Weekly

EPW

september 21, 2013

vol xlviII no 38

75