Bindra: Cricket clout

March 17: Eleven years after Jagmohan Dalmiya became the first Asian to head the International Cricket Council (ICC), the governing body has created a post for another Indian, Inderjit Singh Bindra.

One more indication that in cricket, at least, the clout is with India.

Bindra, who’d been in the running to succeed Malcolm Speed as the chief executive, “bargained” for and got “something bigger” — becoming the ICC’s principal adviser.

According to The Telegraph’s sources, Bindra hadn’t really been keen on a day-to-day job and throwing his hat in the ring for the chief executive’s chair had actually been a “tactical” move. There had been no formal nomination, though.

Bindra, who is in Dubai, declined to react.

“The ICC’s decision hasn’t yet been communicated to me and, so, it won’t be proper to say anything. Please wait till such time that I get an official intimation,” he said late this evening.

The next chief executive will be South Africa’s Imtiaz Patel, the head honcho of the popular SuperSport channel. Patel, whose roots are in India, takes over after the annual general meeting (AGM) in June.

The 60-plus Bindra’s appointment, approved by the all-powerful executive board which met in Dubai today, is initially for two years. He too will start working after the AGM.

The ICC is now headquartered in Dubai, but the AGM is still held at Lord’s.

Significantly, Bindra’s contract will be up for renewal when Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chief Sharad Pawar takes over as the ICC president, in the summer of 2010.

Bindra, therefore, is likely to have a long innings.

Details are awaited, but Bindra’s brief apparently includes: (a) Assisting the executive board in matters of general development; (b) Implementing the ICC’s vision, with particular emphasis on the growth of cricket in North America and China; (c) Helping resolve contentious issues between member nations and (d) Working with the executive board for the smooth conduct of major ICC events, like the World Cup and the Champions Trophy.

Bindra will be a special invitee at all board meetings.

The “terms and conditions” were finalised late last night after a meeting between ICC president Ray Mali, vice-president David Morgan and Bindra.

A former BCCI president (and one-time closest buddy of Dalmiya), Bindra had a big hand in the successful conduct of the 1987 and 1996 World Cups and played a leading role in the 2011 World Cup coming back to the region.

Bindra, one learns, will work out of Dubai and New Delhi/Chandigarh. He could continue as president of the Punjab Cricket Association as there won’t be a conflict of interest.