Former Board of Control for Cricket in India chief Raj Singh Dungarpur, who was a vocal opponent of Ranbir Singh Mahendra during the election for the Board president's post in September, has openly suggested that Mahendra represent the Board at the International Cricket Council's meetings.
Citing tradition, Dungarpur said, "All through its 75-year history the BCCI has been represented by its presidents at the ICC. It has been a convention, and I strongly feel that this convention should be followed this time also."
Dungarpur had pitched his lot with Maratha strongman Sharad Pawar, who unsuccessfully contested against Jagmohan Dalmiya's nominee Mahendra for the top BCCI post during the Board's September 29-30 AGM.
Dungarpur, a staunch critic of Dalmiya, said the outgoing BCCI president should no longer harbour ambitions to represent the Board at the ICC.
"When I was the Board president, then I had been the representative. Dalmiya may be outstanding. But former presidents, like N K P Salve and I S Bindra, were equally outstanding. But they retired gracefully," Dungarpur added.
"So, Dalmiya should not think that it is his inherent right to be the Board's man at the ICC."
Expressing dismay at the way the BCCI has gone down in the public eye due to recent squabblings, Dungarpur said, "Things need to be resolved fast. The situation would have not come to such a pass had the powers-that-be tried to resolve the knotty issues."
