Calcutta: “Logical conclusion,” “inevitable,” “trouble invited.”

Such assessments are absolutely spot on, for the Board of Control for Cricket in India did what it never should have: Defied the Supreme Court.

It doesn’t pay to rub the apex court the wrong way, an act which has halted the innings of Board president Anurag Thakur and secretary Ajay Shirke as cricket administrators.

Both assumed office as recently as last May and, well, were facing the heat from Day I itself.

Of course, Anurag (a BJP member of the Lok Sabha) and industrialist Shirke fought for the Board. Having become the face of the defiance, the guillotine had to fall on them.

It did.

That Anurag got trapped on the issue of procuring a “letter” from the International Cricket Council, one which would have bolstered the Board in its long tussle with the Supreme Court, made it worse for him.

Anurag will now be served show-cause notices on two counts.

The apex court’s order on Monday has used the strongest of words on the “letter” affair. “Fabricated” and “made up” stand out.

Both “fabricated” and “made up” are in relation to the minutes of a working committee meeting. 

Actually, the entire Board stands condemned. 

While Justice Rajendra Mal Lodha and his colleagues won’t shed even a tear for either Anurag or Shirke, both surely had the best interests of cricket at heart.

More important, in an era of scams, neither Anurag nor Shirke were out to make a quick buck or two.

It would be unfair if both are remembered only for being removed by outgoing CJI Tirath Singh Thakur-headed Supreme Court.

In the evening, Anurag returned a call from The Telegraph. “No, I’m neither demoralised nor dejected... Why should I be? As I’d told you earlier, this wasn’t a personal battle,” he said.

According to the apex court’s order, the senior-most vice-president of the Board “shall perform the duties of the president” and the joint-secretary “shall perform the duties of the secretary.”

Chandra Kishore Khanna, the ‘proxy king’ in the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), is the senior-most vice-president, but he’s been at the centre of multiple controversies in his own association.

Many in the Board are aghast that Khanna will be performing the “duties of the president.” Some have already begun talking about seeking a “clarification.” 

Outside the Board, somebody like Justice (retired) Mukul Mudgal would, perhaps, be shocked.

Incidentally, Khanna isn’t a vice-president from North, but Central. The result of accommodating which has been at the forefront of the vote bank politics within the Board.

Amitabh Choudhary, who took premature retirement from the IPS, is the joint-secretary.

Thankfully, no Khanna-like issues surround the Ranchi-based Choudhary. Late in the day, he spoke to this Reporter.

“Right now, I’m following my state’s performance in the Ranji Trophy semi-final against Gujarat...

“That apart, I’m also following my state’s show in the Cooch Behar Trophy quarter final versus Assam...

“I have no information about developments after the Supreme Court’s order,” Choudhary maintained.

Significantly, both Khanna and Choudhary (Jharkhand) have been office-bearers in their respective state associations for years.

Years and years in Khanna’s case. 

Khanna and Choudhary will only be performing the duties of president and secretary, respectively, for the time being.

Soon enough, power within a new-look Board would rest with the committee of administrators. If only Narayanswami Srinivasan had acted sensibly in the summer of 2013…