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The uncertainty over Lahore Lions’ participation in the Champions League Twenty20 has come to an end after the team was issued their Indian visa

Umar Farooq08-Sep-2014The uncertainty over Lahore Lions’ participation in the Champions League Twenty20 has come to an end after the team was issued their Indian visa. Lions are Pakistan’s domestic Twenty20 champions and earned a spot in the CLT20 qualifiers to be held in India later this month but the fragile political relationship between India and Pakistan had thrown doubt over their ability to take part in the tournament.Lions are led by Mohammad Hafeez and have other big names like Umar Akmal and Ahmed Shehzad in their line-up. They begin their qualifying campaign against Mumbai Indians on September 13, before taking on Sri Lanka’s Southern Express and New Zealand’s Northern Districts in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. The team will depart for India on the morning of September 9.”We are departing with confidence,” Hafeez said. “We all know how important the first stage is so we are focusing on qualifying for the next round. We, as a team, have been playing some exciting cricket in the last two years and the squad has gutsy players from our domestic circuit so we have an ability to fight at the top level.”Riaz’s participation in doubt

There is uncertainty over Lahore Lions bowler Wahab Riaz’s participation in the Champions League. Riaz’s newly-born daughter is unwell and the bowler, who was set to leave with the squad, needs more time to decide if he will depart with the squad or not.

Lions had been practising at the National Cricket Academy in Lahore and were forced to train indoors because of excessive rains.”With a recent spell of heavy rain we weren’t able to get the practice we required but we have done ample indoor sessions so there should not be any problem,” Hafeez said. “We have the experience of six international cricketers and have quality players from our first-class set-up, who have an urge to represent Pakistan. So we have the right spirit in the team and we are ready for the challenge.”Faisalabad Wolves, Pakistan’s domestic T20 champions last year, participated in the Champions League in 2013 and had a nightmarish experience during their stay. They were forced out of their city hotel in Chandigarh and were moved to the Punjab Cricket Association Stadium because their visas were valid only for Mohali.Hafeez, however, was not worried. “Both India and Pakistan love cricket and we are hoping to have a very good time there,” he said. “We are going there with a message of love and I know how much they love Pakistan and its cricketers. Our aim is not only to play good cricket but also to play well off the field.”When asked if the absence of the Pakistan players from the Indian Premier League had affected the level of T20 cricket in Pakistan, Hafeez said that although the players were missing out on the experience of playing in the league, there had not been an impact on the quality of cricket played by the side. He stated that Pakistan were ranked No. 3 on the ICC rankings and that the presence of Pakistani players in the IPL would lift the standard of the league.”It’s not the big gap but still we do well at the highest level, doesn’t matter if we are not playing the IPL,” Hafeez said. “There is no doubt that the IPL is a platform where the players enhance their skills in all aspects of the game and as cricketers we know that it’s always great to come and play the IPL.”For the last five-six years, the Pakistan players are not playing and we are missing that as cricketers but I don’t think it is in any way affecting Pakistan cricket because the talent is always there. We are still No. 3 in this format in the world. So our performance is always great in that form. But yes, if the Pakistan players come to the IPL, it will boost the standard of the league and the players will also enjoy playing in India.”Lions will be the third team from Pakistan to participate in the Champions League, after Wolves in 2013 and Sialkot Stallions in 2012 in South Africa. Both teams had failed to qualify for the main round.If Lions progress to the main phase of the CLT20, their main team will have to miss out on the National Twenty20 Regional Tournament, which starts in Multan on September 15. In that case, Lahore Lions’ B team will take part in the regional tournament, but if Lions are knocked out early from the CLT20, players from the main team will return to participate in the domestic competition.

Shahid Afridi has been appointed Pakistan’s Twenty20 captain until the ICC World T20 in 2016

Umar Farooq16-Sep-2014Shahid Afridi has been appointed Pakistan’s Twenty20 captain until the 2016 World T20 in India. He has succeeded Mohammad Hafeez, who stood down in April following Pakistan’s early exit from the 2014 World T20 in Bangladesh.ESPNcricinfo understands the choice was between a young player and an experienced hand, but it was decided that none of the youngsters in the team were ready for such a responsibility. The decision was taken with the consent of the selection committee, head coach Waqar Younis and the PCB cricket committee, and it was approved by the PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan, who has the final say in such matters.”Whatever happened in the past is over and now I have started a new beginning,” Afridi said of his relationship with Waqar. “I will develop a fearless approach in the players and eradicate the fear of loss as a captain. This format is not for the chicken-hearted player”Afridi, 34, had captained Pakistan in 19 Twenty20 internationals between August 2009 and April 2011. Pakistan won eight and lost 11 matches under his leadership. Afridi has not led Pakistan in any format for more than three years and will have one match against Australia and two against New Zealand before the year ends. Over the last 12 months, Afridi has taken 10 wickets at an average of 26.80 in 11 T20 internationals, and scored 173 runs at a strike rate of 150.Misbah-ul-Haq is Pakistan’s Test and one-day international captain and he is expected to continue in the 50-over role until the 2015 World Cup, the PCB reaffirmed while announcing Afridi’s appointment.”In line with my policy of taking decisions democratically I consulted the Cricket Committee and my board members before announcing these decisions,” PCB chairman Shaharyar Khan said. “I wish both Afridi and Misbah very good luck in their upcoming assignments.”Afridi’s previous stint as captain ended on a bad note in May 2011. He had a public falling-out with the coach Waqar Younis, who was also in his first term at the time, and an outburst against the then PCB chairman Ijaz Butt. The PCB issued him a showcause notice for the breach of discipline and stripped him off the captaincy thereafter.The board also excluded him from the list of contracted players and refused to issue no-objection certificates (NOC) to allow Afridi to play in domestic Twenty20 leagues. Afridi, however, took the matter to court and both sides eventually came to an agreement: Afridi pleaded guilty to misconduct and paid a fine of Rupees 4.5 million, and the PCB allowed him to play domestic Twenty20 cricket in England.Afridi then announced a conditional retirement, saying he would return if there were changes in the PCB and the team management. He made himself available for selection again in October 2011, after Waqar quit as national coach and Zaka Ashraf replaced Butt as PCB chairman.

Durham and Warwickshire, who both just squeezed into the knockout stages, lock horns to decide the final piece of major silverware for the 2014 season

The Preview by Andrew McGlashan19-Sep-2014Match FactsSeptember 20, Lord’s
Start time 10.30am (0930GMT)Jonathan Trott’s form has been a key part of Warwickshire’s progress to the final•Getty ImagesThe Big PictureIn days gone by this was the fixture – the big one-day finale of the domestic season – which could swing the selectors’ decisions over who would make a winter tour. However, although England’s one-day squad is due to be named next week, and the domestic one-day format was returned to 50 overs to bring it on even terms with the international game, it is unlikely the performances on Saturday will decide the fate of a single player one way or the other. Still, it can’t hurt to shine on such a stage.And it is not that there will be a lack of past, present or potential future international talent on display at Lord’s as Durham and Warwickshire, who both just squeezed into the knockout stages, lock horns to decide the final piece of major silverware for the 2014 season.Current stars such as Chris Woakes and Ben Stokes – a fascinating head-to-head among the allrounders – go alongside Paul Collingwood and Rikki Clarke, whose international days are (probably) finished, and others like Mark Stoneman and Laurie Evans who continue to forge reputations. Some, such as Boyd Rankin and Scott Borthwick, are trying to show they deserve a second chance.Warwickshire are aiming for the double following their T20 Blast success, which would provide a memorable full stop on their 20-year anniversary of the treble. Durham’s first piece of domestic silverware came in the one-day game – the 2007 Friends Provident Trophy – since when they have continued to be a consistently strong county despite not having deep pockets.If you are trying to split the teams ahead of the final you could argue that Warwickshire hold the edge because of their pace bowling. They have Woakes available, alongside the in-form Rankin, while Durham are without Graham Onions and John Hastings. However, they do have Chris Rushworth, fresh from his astonishing 15-wicket haul against Northamptonshire which has shot him to fame.Route to the finalDurham Fourth in Group B; beat Yorkshire by 31 runs in quarter-final; beat Nottinghamshire by 83 runs in semi-final.
Warwickshire Third in Group B; beat Essex by four wickets in quarter-final; beat Kent by six wickets in semi-final.When the teams met in the group stage, Durham won by five wickets despite a hundred from Jonathan Trott.Watch out for…One of the most enjoyable sights this season has been Jonathan Trott back enjoying his cricket and churning out the runs. He is the second-highest run-scorer in the tournament and has made two centuries, reminding everyone of the valuable role an in-form anchor can play at the top of the order if others around provide the impetus (not that his strike-rate of 87.09 is at all sluggish). He has been officially cleared for England selection, but whether that happens should not really matter: here is a player, who has been through the mill, doing what he does best.It was not that long ago that, alongside Trott, Paul Collingwood was a vital member of the England team. His form this campaign has revived memories of when he was the Mr Reliable of the ODI middle order, scoring more than 400 runs at better than a run-a-ball. And he has decided he is not finished yet, either, after signing a new one-year deal despite growing coaching interests. Still, a player at the stage of Collingwood’s career knows each big day out like this could be the last. So savour it.Team newsDurham had held out hope that Hastings would be able to skip back from the Champions League for the final but he is needed by Chennai Super Kings so leaves a sizeable hole to fill. It is likely to come down to a choice between Peter Chase, the Ireland paceman, or Paul Coughlin to replace him. For Gareth Breese it will be his farewell appearance for the county.Durham (probable) 1 Mark Stoneman, 2 Phil Mustard (wk), 3 Calum MacLeod, 4 Scott Borthwick, 5 Keaton Jennings, 6 Ben Stokes, 7 Paul Collingwood (capt), 8 Gordon Muchall, 9 Gareth Breese, 10 Chris Rushworth, 11 Peter ChaseChris Woakes is set to make his first Royal London Cup appearance, having been unavailable throughout the competition due to his involvement with England. Recordo Gordon is the player most likely to make way. Ian Bell has been ruled out with a fractured toe suffered during the ODIs against India, as well as a bout of tonsillitis.Warwickshire (probable) 1 Varun Chopra (capt), 2 William Porterfield, 3 Jonathan Trott, 4 Tim Ambrose (wk), 5 Laurie Evans, 6 Rikki Clarke, 7 Ateeq Javid, 8 Chris Woakes, 9 Jeetan Patel, 10 Oliver Hannon-Dalby, 11 Boyd RankinPitch and conditionsThere have been some high-scoring one-day matches at Lord’s this season and the warm, dry September to date should mean the toss is less of a decisive factor than has often been the case in late-season finals. However, the 10.30am start is likely to have both captains seriously considering bowling first, especially as the forecast is for a cloudy day.Stats and trivia This is Warwickshire’s 18th domestic List A final. They have won eight and lost nine of their previous 17 Lord’s finals. Durham won their only previous domestic final, in 2007. Of players with at least 10 wickets in Royal London Cup, Collingwood (3.99) and Clarke (4.07) have the lowest economy rates. Jonathan Trott has scored centuries in each of his last three List A innings against Durham – in 2007, 2010 and this season.Quotes”It’s always great to see Trott and Boydy back and performing as well as they are, but also it’s great how a few young guys have stepped in and put their hands up, having come through the system.”

Having scored his first half-century in 16 ODI and Test innings, Virat Kohli feels his confidence is returning

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Oct-2014After 15 Test and ODI innings without a half-century, Virat Kohli showed signs of a return to form when he scored 62 in the second ODI against West Indies in Delhi. Kohli said he worked hard on his game during the break between the England tour and the start of the series against West Indies, and felt his confidence was returning.”I think as a cricketer, you find out things about yourself [while out of form] which you’re not aware of when you’re scoring runs,” Kohli said ahead of the fourth ODI in Dharamsala. “It’s only when you don’t score runs and get out in a particular manner that you address these issues and I’ve gone back and worked on them.”I’ve worked hard over the past two weeks, during which I’ve attended two different camps and concentrated on the areas I have to improve on. At the international stage, it requires just one innings to get your confidence back and I believe if you’re well mentally, everything falls in place.”I felt good in the last game. I stuck to the basics and decided to go after the bowler rather than letting the bowler come to me. Once I got my confidence back, it was easy going from that point onwards.”Most of Kohli’s recent dismissals have been the result of playing away from his body and edging the ball outside off stump. Kohli said recovering mental confidence was a more important step in regaining form than the work he did on his technique.”It’s very easy to let it [getting out the same way] affect you but I choose not to,” Kohli said. “At times, it does play on your mind and this is where as batsman you go back to the basics and improve. At the end of the day, it’s all about the mental confidence and letting your instincts take over,” Kohli said. “Having that break was really good. I got to work on my game and went in this ODI series with a positive mindset.”Kohli said the criticism he faced during his rough patch made him understand people better.”It’s funny in a way,” he said. “The moment I don’t score runs, people are very quick to criticise. They tend to forget my contributions in the last 4-5 years. I’ve been scoring consistently in all three formats of the game. At the same time – I’m not bragging about it – that’s my nature; the way I like to play the game.”You will have a bad patch and it is then you get to know the people who actually support you and those who are ready to rip you apart. I’ve seen a lot of people change, 360 degrees actually but that doesn’t surprise me anymore. All I know is that I’ve got to feel good in my head and that’s what gives me confidence.”Kohli praised the role played by Ravi Shastri as team director in raising the team’s morale after their 3-1 defeat in the Test series in England.”He [Shastri] is doing something that a lot of people choose not to do – bring confidence to the team, no matter what situation we are in,” Kohli said. “I think it’s very easy to demean and point fingers at a team and when you have someone like him who has has been around for so long, it helps a youngster go up to him and talk about his game.”

The BCCI has decided to call an emergent working committee meeting in Chennai on November 18 to decide whether to postpone only the board’s election, or the annual general meeting as well

Amol Karhadkar15-Nov-2014The BCCI has decided to call an emergent working committee meeting in Chennai on November 18 to decide whether to postpone only the board’s election, or the annual general meeting as well. The conundrum had arisen after the Supreme Court on Friday stressed that N Srinivasan cannot seek re-election till the probe into the IPL corruption scandal is complete.Ever since conclusion of the Supreme Court proceedings, there has been a confusion among the BCCI members about the status of the AGM. Soon after the court made it clear that Srinivasan cannot contest on November 20, BCCI counsel C Aryama Sundaram sought permission to postpone the AGM by four weeks, which was reportedly granted to him. However, it is understood that at least three member associations wrote to BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel asking him not to postpone the AGM.The election of the president, secretary, joint-secretary, treasurer and five vice-presidents is only one of the several issues on the agenda of the AGM, which has already been pushed back by a couple of months. It was supposed to be conducted by September 30, but, due to the ongoing investigation into the IPL 2013 spot-fixing case and Srinivasan’s role in the same, the working committee had decided on September 26 to have the AGM on November 20.According to the BCCI’s rulebook, notice for an emergent working committee meeting needs to be issued at least 72 hours in advance. Though the members haven’t been formally notified so far, most of the working committee members have been notified verbally about the meeting.Some of the BCCI’s members have questioned the action of the BCCI counsel to keep pushing back the AGM, though. Also, former BCCI president Shashank Manohar, who has emerged as the flag-bearer of the anti-Srinivasan movement in the BCCI, said on Friday that the AGM dates cannot be altered. “However it appears that during today’s [court] hearing, as soon as the names of Srinivasan and [Gurunath] Meiyappan were disclosed, the Counsel for the Board made a request for the postponement of the AGM and elections scheduled to be held on 20th November,” Manohar had said.After taking legal advice and having multiple rounds of discussion, the BCCI hierarchy was convinced that if it postponed the AGM, or the election, without the working committee’s approval, it would lead to another legal battle, so the meeting was called.It is also understood that the office-bearers are in favour of proceeding with the AGM but postponing the elections till the Supreme Court decides Srinivasan’s fate. Apart from the election, the AGM usually lists several matters, including confirmation of minutes of the previous general meetings, adoption of the secretary’s review report, adoption of treasurer’s report and the audited accounts, adoption of the annual budget, appointment of auditors, election of working committee, standing committees and other sub-committees, consideration of reports and recommendations of various committees, and appointing India’s representative to the ICC.”The election can held in a SGM [special general meeting], so [postponing] it would give every interested and eligible candidate a fair opportunity,” said an insider privy to discussions.For the first time in the last 18 months, the Srinivasan camp appears to be on the backfoot, following the Supreme Court directive to bar him from contesting the election. Also, the opposition group of Manohar and Mumbai Cricket Association chief Sharad Pawar has hinted at opening a front against Srinivasan in the election.A member of the opposing faction said it was “high time” all the current office-bearers resign in the wake of the Supreme Court diktat. “For the last one and half years, they are being adamant on holding on to their posts, which is doing no good to Indian cricket’s image,” he said. “At least now, they should resign. Otherwise, we will be forced to oust them during the election.”

Shakib Al Hasan has said that his forthcoming three-week stint in the Big Bash League with Melbourne Renegades will considerably help his preparation for the upcoming World Cup

Mohammad Isam27-Dec-2014Shakib Al Hasan has said that his forthcoming three-week stint in the Big Bash League with Melbourne Renegades will considerably help his preparation for the upcoming World Cup.He is likely to leave for Australia on January 4 although his departure and whether he returns or stays back for the World Cup is dependent on Bangladesh coach Chandika Hathurusingha. Shakib is available for Renegades’ matches on January 7, 10, 13 and 19, and Bangladesh are scheduled to fly to Australia on January 24. It is likely that Shakib will stay on for the extra five days and join the World Cup squad.He feels that the experience with Renegades will train him well for what is to be expected in Australia and New Zealand in February and March. Shakib said that the knowledge he will gain from his new teammates will be invaluable for him, and he can pass it on to the Bangladesh side.”My biggest gain is the extra 20 days of training I will get in Australia,” Shakib said. “I will try to do well in the matches but it can also go poorly. The practice sessions will be more important. I can learn a lot in these three weeks.”If I had trained with the Bangladesh team for the same period, I wouldn’t have learned as much as I will learn by training with them [Melbourne Renegades]. I can share my experience with the team, which will benefit everyone.”Shakib could play in Hobart, at the MCG and the Docklands Stadium. Bangladesh will play against Sri Lanka in Melbourne while their other World Cup group matches will be in Canberra, Brisbane and Adelaide in Australia and Nelson and Hamilton in New Zealand.”I will have the opportunity to play in a few of the grounds. I can adjust myself to the weather and the environment. I don’t think there can be a better way to prepare than this.”I think Big Bash is different and possibly the toughest arena. It will certainly be quite high among the T20 leagues. It is a challenge for me to do well in this tournament. I will try to take confidence from the Big Bash to the World Cup.”

Kevin Pietersen’s messy divorce from English cricket has conceivably moved a step nearer completion with his announcement that he intends to play the whole of the Caribbean Premier League season in June and July

David Hopps02-Feb-2015Kevin Pietersen’s messy divorce from English cricket has moved a step nearer completion with his announcement that he intends to play the whole of the Caribbean Premier League season in June and July.Pietersen’s guarantee of a total commitment to the tournament, where he will again play for St Lucia Zouks, seems to end his attempts of a year ago to share his time between the CPL and the NatWest Blast.All hope is not quite lost yet that he could make a guest appearance in England in early season. With the IPL final not scheduled until June 1, he could conceivably be available for two or three Blast matches before his stint in the Caribbean, where the tournament runs from June 21 to July 26, but what remains to be seen is if any county will take him on those terms.It appears that as far as Pietersen and cricket in England is concerned the end may be nigh.Surrey released Pietersen at the end of last season – primarily a strategic move so that he was not employed by the county when his controversial autobiography was published, so seeking to lessen the threat of official censure.Since then a stricter salary cap in 2015 has led Surrey to suggest privately that it had made Pietersen unaffordable but it could be that his desire to warm up for the Caribbean, and Surrey’s recognition of his crowd-pulling appeal, might just enable a short-term relationship of convenience to be hastily patched up.Such a deal would have to make light of his controversial criticism of many county professionals as “muppets who are on £18,000 or £15,000”, accompanied by an invitation for them to find alternative employment if they did not raise their standards.To commit to putting the CPL ahead of the NatWest Blast is an indication of where his priorities lie and is bound to irritate the ECB as it seeks to present the tournament as of equivalent standard to the market leaders, the IPL and BBL, and stave off criticism of the 18-county set-up.Commenting on his return to the Caribbean, Pietersen said: “Being involved in CPL 2014 was a fantastic experience and I thoroughly enjoyed playing for the St. Lucia Zouks, albeit briefly. This year I will be available for the duration of the tournament so I hope to be able to make a bigger impact and give the Zouks fans something to shout about. The CPL is a very special event and I can’t wait to get back out there to experience more of ‘the biggest party in sport’.”Pietersen will privately be hoping for better fortunes in the six-team franchise. He joined the Zouks for the latter stages in 2014 and although his presence, alongside team captain, Darren Sammy, helped the Zouks beat the reigning champions, the Jamaica Tallawahs, as well as make their highest score of the season, they finished second from bottom.

Kumar Sangakkara, the world’s No. 1 Test batsman, has agreed a two-year deal with Surrey although how much he plays in 2015 will not be confirmed until Sangakkara makes a decision over his Test future

ESPNcricinfo staff16-Jan-2015Kumar Sangakkara, the world’s No. 1 Test batsman, has agreed a two-year deal with Surrey although how much he plays in 2015 will not be confirmed until Sangakkara makes a decision over his Test future.Sangakkara will end his ODI career after the World Cup and he has previously hinted strongly that it will mark the conclusion of his international days, although there remains a chance of a final spell in Test cricket later this year.His arrival at Surrey will see him back working with Graham Ford, the former Sri Lanka coach, who is now in charge at The Oval.”We’re delighted that Kumar has agreed to join us. He is the number one Test batsman in the world but it’s the special character that he has which is as important to us,” Alec Stewart, the Surrey director of cricket, said.”He is a five-star player and five-star person and that is important because he will be working with our young homegrown players as they become serious cricketers at this level. He has worked a lot with our coach Graham Ford, when he was in charge of Sri Lanka, and we are both very happy to reach this stage.”Sangakkara enjoyed a prolific 2014, setting a new record for the most international runs scored in a year with 2868 runs across all formats. He has started 2015 in similar manner, too, with a double hundred against New Zealand in Wellington.A signing of a player of Sangakkara’s standing will also cast further doubt over Kevin Pietersen’s future at The Oval as there are salary cap restrictions in place for county squads.

South Australia recovered from a disastrous start, where they lost their top-three batsmen – Kelvin Smith, Mark Cosgrove and Callum Ferguson – for two runs inside the first three overs, to finish the day with a respectable score at the Gliderol Stadium.

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Feb-2015
scorecardFile photo: Tom Cooper hit 11 fours in his 179-ball innings•Getty ImagesSouth Australia recovered from a disastrous start, where they lost their top three batsmen – Kelvin Smith, Mark Cosgrove and Callum Ferguson – for two runs inside the first three overs, to finish the day with a respectable 5 for 168 at the Gliderol Stadium. The hosts however still have a deficit of 196 runs to erase after Tasmania, aided by Alex Doolan’s 62, added 106 runs to their overnight score.South Australia’s revival was borne out of the efforts of Tom Cooper and captain Travis Head, who together accumulated 87 runs in 31.4 overs.Despite the dismissals of Head and Alex Ross, Cooper chugged along, adding 66 with Tim Ludeman. Jackson Bird, who struck in each of his first two overs, was Tasmania’s most successful bowler.

Despite being barred from contesting the BCCI election, the faction led by N Srinivasan holds the upper hand in terms of number of officials and its strength in the working committee

Amol Karhadkar11-Mar-2015N Srinivasan may not hold a post in the new BCCI regime, but the former president, who was barred from contesting the election until the end of the IPL corruption probe, has managed to get an upper hand not only in terms of number of officials but also in terms of the working committee composition.Of the nine elected officials, who were appointed during the last week’s AGM, seven are from Srinivasan’s group. Barring president Jagmohan Dalmiya and secretary Anurag Thakur, who have shared a good rapport with Srinivasan in the past, all the other elected officials are from the Srinivasan camp. Ditto with the working committee, which is the main governing committee within the BCCI.Only four members of the 21-member committee have been vocal opponents of the BCCI. Two bodies – the Mumbai Cricket Association and Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association – are permanent members, controlling permanent Test centres. Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association has been nominated as the central zone representative by rotation, while the Punjab Cricket Association had to be included as the PCA had staged a Test in the last two years. Incidentally, MPCA president Jyotiraditya Scindia lost the vice-president’s election last week while the PCA secretary withdrew his nomination papers in the same election against Srinivasan’s candidate, ML Nehru.BCCI working committee 2014-15

Office-bearers: Jagmohan Dalmiya (president), Anurag Thakur (secretary), Amitabh Choudhary (joint secretary), Anirudh Chaudhry (treasurer).

Vice-presidents*: ML Nehru (north), G Gangaraju (south), Gautam Roy (east), TC Mathew (west), CK Khanna (central).

Permanent Test centres: Delhi & District Cricket Association, Tamil Nadu Cricket Association, Cricket Association of Bengal, Mumbai Cricket Association, Uttar Pradesh Cricket Association.

By zonal rotation: Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (north), Kerala Cricket Association (south), Jharkhand State Cricket Association (east), Baroda Cricket Association (west), Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association (central).

Members who have staged a Test in the last two years: Punjab Cricket Association, Hyderabad Cricket Association.

*Vice-presidents do not have voting rights.

As the main governing committee within the board, the working committee ratifies all decisions taken by the BCCI’s administration and the schedules of the Indian team’s bilateral series. The committee comprises four principal office bearers, five vice-presidents, five permanent Test centres, associations who have hosted a Test match in the preceding two years and a member from each of the five zones by rotation.The main omission from the working committee has been that of the Vidarbha Cricket Association, controlled by former BCCI president and key Pawar aide Shashank Manohar. The VCA had become a regular member of the working committee over the last decade, after having hosted Test matches regularly.Over the last couple of years, however, Manohar and Srinivasan have turned into bitter rivals, and Manohar has criticized Srinivasan publicly and during working committee meetings. As a result, the BCCI has not allotted Nagpur a Test match since December 2012, resulting in VCA’s exclusion from the committee. Since Nagpur’s last Test match, India have played six Tests at home.The Srinivasan group has also received a shot in the arm after the faction led by Sharad Pawar decided not to challenge the BCCI elections in court over the decision to allow Samarjit Sinh Gaekwad to attend the last week’s AGM as the legitimate representative of the Baroda Cricket Association. The decision was made after considering the expert legal advice as well as the administrative scenario within the BCCI.On March 2, soon after only one of their five candidates won the elections, the Pawar faction had declared its intention to contest AGM chairman Shivlal Yadav’s verdict on allowing Gaekwad, the BCA president, to attend the AGM. BCA vice-president Rakesh Parikh, a support of Pawar’s group, claimed to have been nominated by the BCA managing committee.A Pawar aide confirmed that none of the aggrieved associations will move court. It is understood that the group sought expert legal advice and were told that the BCCI rulebook had been followed. Another Pawar ally confirmed that the decision was arrived at after carefully considering the post-election scenario in the BCCI.