The Board of Control for Cricket in India has allotted the sponsorship rights for Tests and one-day international matches to be played in India in 2003-04 to soft drinks giant Pepsi.
BCCI president Jagmohan Dalmiya said Pepsi have been given the "rights to sponsor the Board-run international events, along with TVS Motor company and Videocon".
On the recent controversy over the presence of pesticides in excess in soft drinks, Dalmiya said, "It is for the company to tackle it if there is a controversy."
Asked whether the Board was under pressure from the company while finalizing the rights, Dalmiya retorted: "What pressure are you talking about? In fact they must be under pressure. It is a pleasure for us to find a suitable sponsor."
He said, in fact Pepsi and other sponsors might be under tremendous pressure, as the BCCI does not cooperate with them on their contracts with players.
Dalmiya also announced that a 14-man Indian team to play against the visiting New Zealand side in a two-Test series would be picked two or four days prior to the first Test.
The first Test is scheduled to be played at Ahmedabad from October 8 to 12.
Replying to a question, he said the Board has put back 95 per cent of its revenue in the 2003-03 season into game.
"Please do not ask me about profits made by the Board. We received Rs.120 crore during the year under review. We have ploughed back Rs.108 crores for the development of cricket in India," Dalmiya said on the sidelines of the BCCI Working Committee meeting in Chennai.
"The cricket Board is the only sports body that has opened new vistas for developing the game," he claimed, adding "no other sports body in the country has such a record of having spent 95 per cent of its revenue on the game".
"The Board will pursue various ways to take the game to every part of the country under its 'New Area Development Programme' besides taking up measures to improve the standard of the game," he added.
