BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia stated that the discussions surrounding India’s 2027 World Cup blueprint are “not meant for public consumption” and declined to discuss specific players or their much-discussed future with the squad.
Whenever the Indian team’s 2027 international campaign is discussed, veterans Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli dominate the conversation. However, Saikia is adamant that “strategic discussions in the board room” are better left within. Head coach Gautam Gambhir and chairman of selectors Ajit Agarkar have not stated if the team will have room for the white-ball superstars, despite the fact that both former captains are adamant on competing in the mega-event.
When asked if the BCCI has discussed the issue internally, Saikia responded that all parties involved have similar opinions in what is essentially a continuous process.
“We have a very well-knit team and a lot of experts. All stakeholders are taken on board. Whatever decisions that are made involve the cricket committee, the selectors and all other stakeholders, including the support staff, the head coach and the players concerned. There are regular conversations taking place. For that reason, we do not need any special session of interaction. This is an ongoing process,” Saikia told PTI during an exclusive interaction.
He insisted that he would not reveal any information about the board room. “I do not think I should disclose anything before the media or the public because these are strategic discussions. I am not authorised to speak about them before the media. Secondly, these are matters that should remain within the boardroom.”
Due to turbulence in the neighboring country, the Indian cricket team had to postpone its white-ball visit of Bangladesh last year. There is currently an elected government in place in India’s eastern neighbors. Former captain Tamim Iqbal is the new head of the Bangladesh Cricket Board and is eager to reestablish bilateral cricket relations with India.
Asked if the BCCI’s stance would now change, Saikia replied: “The BCCI is a cricketing controlling board, and we have nothing to do with what is going on politically in other countries. As the BCCI, we follow whatever policy the Government of India has in place regarding participation in bilateral and multinational sporting events. Whatever regulations and policies the central government frames, we follow them, just like any other sports federation, whether it is football, athletics or any other sport,” he explained.
Saikia clarified that the BCCI is unaffected by the party in power in Bangladesh. “We are not concerned with who is running the government in a particular country, whether it is democratically elected, undemocratically elected or an autocratic government. That is none of our business. Our job is to run cricket. Whenever there is a scheduled tour to a foreign country for bilateral matches, we will proceed according to our plans and schedules,” Saikia said.
