Srinivasan elected ICC chairman

NEW DELHI: In a major boost for Indian cricket, N Srinivasan has been named the first chairman of the revamped International Cricket Council (ICC) following the conclusion of the world body’s annual conference in Melbourne on Thursday.
Srinivasan’s ascension to the powerful top job was expected following changes in February in the ICC’s governance structure, which handed the majority of power and revenues to the sport’s ‘big three’ nations – India, Australia and England.
The decision paves the way for India — the game’s financial capital generating neatly 80% of the game’s revenues — to get a larger share of the cricketing pie and have a more influential role in running the game worldwide.
The BCCI termed Srinivasan’s appointment “a proud and historic moment for Indian cricket”, adding: “As India takes the leadership position in world cricket, the responsibility of guiding the game in these challenging times could not have found a better leader than Mr Srinivasan.”
Srinivasan, 69, said his immediate focus would be on facilitating Associate and Affiliate members’ graduation to Test level in a bid to broadbase the game. “I will leave no stone unturned in trying to strengthen the pillars and foundations of our sport, both on and off the field,” he said.
“In this new structure there is a lot of emphasis on meritocracy. The glass ceiling has been broken. The ICC is a members’ organization and the pathway is now there for any member to play Test cricket or in the major ICC events if it performs well enough over a sustained period of time.”
Downplaying allegations that India had threatened to walk out of the ICC unless given a larger revenue share, Srinivasan said, “It is an incorrect assertion. India has at all times been very supportive. We may not always agree but that doesn’t mean one walks away.”
Srinivasan also said the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) had done “extremely good work” to combat corruption. “As a result of their efforts one can say there is substantial improvement and I can't accept that cricket has an image problem,” he said.
The new ICC president, Bangladesh’s Mustafa Kamal, will serve under Srinivasan. Under the new structure, an ICC executive committee has been formed, chaired by Cricket Australia head Wally Edwards. England’s Giles Clarke will head the finance and commercial affairs committee.