Arjuna Ranatunga

Calcutta: The iconic Sunil Gavaskar, who it seems had indicated to the International Cricket Council (ICC) that he wouldn’t like to continue as chairman of its powerful Cricket Committee, may “reconsider” his stand.

Gavaskar was in the city on Thursday but, typically, declined to comment.

However, The Telegraph’s sources have suggested he could continue beyond June (when his current term ends with the AGM) — assuming, of course, he’s nominated afresh and the Executive Board wants to retain him.

Perhaps aware that Gavaskar was looking to end his seven-year innings, the Pakistan Cricket Board and Sri Lanka Cricket have been advocating the ‘candidature’ of Majid Khan and Arjuna Ranatunga, respectively.

Like Gavaskar, both are former captains and serve on the present committee.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India’s stand isn’t clear, but the Sharad Pawar regime isn’t favourably disposed towards Gavaskar.

That’s probably not insignificant.

Indeed, there’s speculation that an intra-Asia understanding may have been reached on India supporting either Pakistan or Sri Lanka on the chairman’s issue in the Executive Board.

Majid Khan

Bottomline, though, is that Gavaskar continues to enjoy a higher stature than Ranatunga and Majid.

The Cricket Committee, meanwhile, is set to be structured differently.

One understands it will now include representatives from the MCC, the umpires, the Media and even statisticians.

Also, the chairman could have a fixed (two or three-year) term.

The chief executives have, apparently, already given their stamp of approval. The ball is in the Executive Board’s court.

The Executive Board’s next meeting is in Cape Town on March 1 and, among other things, the restructuring is going to be discussed.