Calcutta: On September 8, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced — through joint-secretary and umpires committee convenor Mohinder Pandove — that Srinivas Venkatraghavan would present a “blueprint” for improving the quality of umpiring “within 10 days.”

A laudable move, but two-and-half months have passed and there has been silence. Reason: The BCCI’s finance committee hasn’t yet approved the former captain’s appointment as director of umpires.

“All the papers are ready. However, as the question of remuneration is there, the finance committee has to give the green signal… The needful should be done at its next meeting,” Pandove told The Telegraph.

What’s strange is that Venkat had been appointed to the same post by Jagmohan Dalmiya more than two years ago!

Obviously, that remained on paper. But the Sharad Pawar regime, which claims to be professional, has done no better.

Venkat, a former International Cricket Council (ICC) Elite Panel umpire and a Match Referee in the pre-Elite Panel days, must be pretty miffed.

He chose to be very business-like, though, when contacted at his residence in Chennai.

“There’s work to be done, but I can’t comment on specifics till I’ve received the terms of reference… It’s a reality that there’s no Indian on the Elite Panel, but getting there isn’t easy,” he said.

Venkat added: “As with cricket at the highest level, umpiring demands a lot of practice… Practice makes perfect… I’ve already pointed out it’s tough making the Elite Panel…”

The ICC, it may be recalled, honoured Venkat during the 2004 Champions Trophy in England, some months after his last appearance as an Elite Panel umpire.

The 10-member Elite Panel (Darrell Hair’s name, by the way, hasn’t been taken off) has two umpires from Pakistan — Aleem Dar and Asad Rauf.

Remarkable given that the quality of umpiring on the other side of the border left much to be desired till not very long ago.

In fact, till the ICC stepped in across the board 15 years ago, most teams touring Pakistan were convinced they played against 13…

So, while the Pakistan Cricket Board has much to smile about, the BCCI has its task well and truly cut out.

It’s to be seen whether any of the three nominated by it to the ICC’s International Panel — Amish Saheba, Suresh Shastri and G.A. Pratap Kumar — graduates to the next (Elite) level.

Also to be seen is the impact Venkat can make. He doesn’t have a magic wand, but few boast a higher stature.