Ganguly vows to restore BCCI’s prestige

‘When it is tough, you believe you are good enough to do it’

Relishing responsibility: Sourav Ganguly said he is happy to helm the BCCI at a tough time.

The president-designate of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), Sourav Ganguly, on Tuesday, said restoring the Board’s prestige would be his top priority.

On his return to his home city after being unanimously chosen as the next BCCI president in Mumbai, Ganguly said, “With everybody’s help, hopefully we can turn the Board around.”

Biggest powerhouse

Ganguly, who cut a cake as part of the felicitation function organised by the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB), told reporters at the Eden Gardens here: “India is the biggest powerhouse in cricket and India should get due respect. Not only financially, but also as a cricket team it is probably the best in the world.”

The former India captain was happy to take over at a tough time. “The most satisfying thing is that when I became India captain, Indian cricket was in difficult times and they gave me the responsibility. Now the administration has been through a major crisis. It is emergency. I am happy to get the responsibility to turn it around. When it is tough, you believe that you are good enough to do it.

Young team

“I am here to do a job for everyone — to make Indian cricket cleaner and administration-wise get the backroom smooth and going along with all the members of the apex council. I have a very young team. It’s new for them also. We will do our job to the best of our ability. There will not be lack of effort.”

Ganguly said he expected the Indian team to realise its potential. “The team’s performance overseas is satisfactory. Only thing is that they need to win big tournaments. It’s not possible to win every time but they have gone through seven big tournaments without winning one. They are a much better side than that. That’s one area Virat (Kohli) has to address and that does not happen in the board room.”

He said the BCCI headquarters would remain in Mumbai. “BCCI operations are a lot more organised than that of the State associations. It will be a mix and match of both.”

Ganguly reiterated that the interest of First Class players and the contentious conflict of interest issue would be addressed on priority.