When Sunil Gavaskar Took on the BCCI: The NCA Power Struggle That Shook Indian Cricket

Twenty-five years ago, Sunil Gavaskar challenged BCCI authority over the functioning of the National Cricket Academy, leading to resignations, public fallout, and a rare moment of open dissent in Indian cricket.

Gavaskar vs Dungarpur BCCI fight (Image Source: Google)

One of the biggest changes the lucrative IPL has brought to Indian cricket is that very few now openly challenge the BCCI or its officials. Even those who once spoke their mind on cricketing matters have been silenced, curbing the bold voices that held the board accountable. Yet, twenty-five years ago, Indian cricket witnessed something extraordinary: a former India captain openly confronted a senior BCCI figure in public to make his point. What began as a minor disagreement quickly escalated into a full-blown battle with no holds barred.

When NCA (National Cricket Academy) at Bangalore, commenced operating, Sunil Gavaskar was one of the pillars, behind the scene, giving suggestions on all fronts and had an important role to play in its formation. At that time, BCCI was chaired by AC Muthiah and powered by the late Raj Singh Dungarpur. Gavaskar was one of the five members of the NCA committee, working under the Chairmanship of Raj Singh Dungarpur to oversee the academy's functioning. During the inauguration, Raj Singh acknowledged Sunny’s contribution and mentioned that he got the NCA committee in touch with Rodney Marsh of the Australian Cricket Academy leading to model NCA on the same pattern. In May 2000 he was the first guest lecturer at the NCA.

In 2000-01 Zimbabwe toured India for a 2 Test and 5 ODI series. On the recommendations of Raj Singh, to give the NCA trainees a challenging exposure, a 3 day match between National Cricket Academy XI v Zimbabwe XI was scheduled and the tour commenced with this match at Indore from 8–10 Nov 2000. Sunil Gavaskar didn’t like the idea of NCA XI playing against the touring side and criticized the schedule in his syndicate column.

Gavaskar argued that it took opportunities away from other domestic performers who deserved chances. Gavaskar explained that this was merely his observation and in no way he was criticising the NCA but the damage had been done. This started an open war between Raj Singh Dungarpur, then NCA Chairman and Sunil Gavaskar and escalated to the extent that publicly Gavaskar's resignation from the NCA Committee was sought with Raj Singh stating that he couldn't ‘run with the hares and hunt with the hounds (implying Gavaskar was criticizing from within)’.

Gavaskar didn’t wait and resigned immediately (and Dungarpur put it, ‘flung his resignation letter across the table’). He also said that he can’t work under such conditions and made it clear that he would not be associated with the working of the NCA henceforward. ‘I cannot see myself in the NCA in the future. I have played for my country with pride and dignity and after such an episode I cannot see myself working under the same circumstances.’

Now the battle-field was open for both Raj Singh and Sunil Gavaskar to criticise each other on various issues, with both trading barbs about each other's administrative decisions and conduct (and of course intelligence). If Gavaskar called Dungarpur a ‘self-confessed failure,’ Raj Singh responded with Gavaskar ‘living in a glass palace.’

In the meantime, the NCA director Hanumant Singh and coach Vasu Paranjpe also resigned from NCA. Although Raj Singh repeatedly tried to clear the air over these two resignations and explained that their resignations had nothing to do with former India skipper and NCA committee member Sunil Gavaskar's resignation, he couldn’t diffuse the uncertainty around the NCA.

‘We tried to persuade Hanumant Singh to carry on as director for some more time but in vain,’ he added. ‘Not even a `mali' (groundsman) has resigned after Gavaskar quit. In fact Hanumant wanted to be relieved as he could not leave his family alone for a long period of time while Paranjpe could not leave his wife alone in Mumbai after his son Jatin married and shifted to his new house in the suburbs,’ Raj Singh said. As such the developments concerning the NCA needed to be viewed with grave concern

After a few months the face of the BCCI suddenly changed. Jagmohan Dalmiya, became new BCCI chief and among the first decisions he took was to appoint Sunil Gavaskar as chairman of the National Cricket Academy in place of Raj Singh Dungarpur. The sour relations between Raj Singh and Dalmiya were an open secret and the move was on the expected lines.

Now Sunny needed to pad up for a new innings. This didn’t happen and this time his stint with NCA was not as productive as one expected because he had to devote a large chunk of time to his duties as a commentator. His non availability was visible as soon as in October 2002. Newspaper reports claimed that the National Cricket Academy, is functioning without a chairman for over a month now. Gavaskar had expressed his inability to continue at the helm at the last AGM itself in Kolkata but the replacement issue was not taken up by the BCCI.

The BCCI persuaded Gavaskar to continue for some time and even made it clear that his mere presence, even on the peripheries, would make a marked difference. This half-hearted arrangement continued till Oct. 2006 and at last Sunil Gavaskar was replaced as NCA Chairman. The new appointee was Kapil Dev and as soon as he was informed of his appointment, he declared that he had no idea about his role as the new chairman of the National Cricket Academy. ‘I was told that I have been appointed NCA chairman, but I don’t know what I am expected to do,’ the World Cup-winning captain said.