Chennai : Refusing to talk about M.S. Dhoni’s role in his company India Cements Ltd, Board Of Control For Cricket In India’s (BCCI’s) president-in-exile N. Srinivasan on Monday made it clear that the Indian captain would not be asked to resign despite questions about conflict of interest being raised against him.
Srinivasan, who is also the International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman, declined comments on the IPL spot-fixing scandal, which is being heard in the Supreme Court right now after justice Mudgal committee submitted its investigative report on the matter.
“The matter is in the court. I cannot speak on this,” Srinivasan told reporters on the sidelines of an ICC function.
The Tamil Nadu strongman was even more curt when it came to answering questions on Dhoni, who is an employee of India Cements besides being the captain of the IPL franchise Chennai Super Kings—owned by the company.
The Supreme Court has made scathing comments on the issue of conflict of interest in the case of both Dhoni and Srinivasan.
“Why should I ask him to resign?” Srinivasan shot back when asked whether Dhoni would be asked to step down. Asked what was Dhoni’s role in India Cements, Srinivasan was once again curtly said, “Why should I tell you.”
Srinivasan is under immense pressure to give up his position in BCCI in the wake of the Mudgal committee’s observations on his role in the scandal. The committee, while giving a clean chit to Srinivasan personally, has observed that the BCCI chief turned a blind eye to the wrongdoings in the league.
Section of the cricket board and Srini are defending that Dhoni’s employment in India Cements is a private issue related to his professional career that might go beyond his cricketing life. They raise a valid point that what will a cricketer will do when he is out of the game at his mid thirties.
Many players were given honorary posts or even perusing serious professional career post retirement from cricket in various private and public sector companies and Supreme Court completely failed take note of the issue, while commenting.
