Board of Control for Cricket in India

In 1912, an all-India cricket team visited England for the first time, sponsored and captained by Maharaja of Patiala. In 1926, two representatives of the Calcutta Cricket Club travelled to London to attend meetings of the Imperial Cricket Conference, the predecessor to the current International Cricket Council. Although technically not an official representative of Indian cricket, they were allowed to attend by Lord Harris, chairman of the conference. The outcome of the meeting was the MCC's decision to send a team to India, led by Arthur Gilligan, who had captained England in The Ashes.

In a meeting with the Maharaja of Patiala and others, Gilligan promised to press for its inclusion in the ICC if all the promoters of the game in the land came together to establish a single controlling body. An assurance was given and a meeting was held in Delhi on 21 November 1927 and was attended by delegates from Patiala, Delhi, United Provinces, Rajputana, Alwar, Bhopal, Gwalior, Baroda, Kathiawar, Central Provinces, Sindh and Punjab. A consensus was reached to create a board for control of cricket in India and on 10 December 1927, a unanimous decision to form a provisional board of control was taken. In December 1928, the BCCI was formed. R E Grant Govan was elected as its first president and Anthony de Mello as secretary.[11] Indian cricket team toured England in 1932.

After the India's first World Cup victory, BCCI did bid for 1987 World Cup and successfully organized it, showed the organisational capabilities of board.[12]

BCCI's logo is derived from 'Star of India'. According to Information Commissioner Sridhar Acharyulu, BCCI's logo was designed by the British Raj in 1928. It is 90% similar to Star of India sign.[13][14]

With the surge of cricket in India, BCCI was criticised for its monopolistic practices and has suffered from corruption allegations.[15] The Supreme Court on 30 January 2017 nominated a four-member panel Committee of Administrators:- Vinod Rai, Ramachandra Guha, Vikaram Limaye and Diana Edulji to look after the administration of the BCCI in order to implement Lodha Committee reforms.[16] Vinod Rai, ex-CAG of India heads the four members panel to look after the administrative duties of the board until the fresh elections are called.[17][18][19] Presently, Sourav Ganguly is the president of BCCI.

On 9 August 2019, the BCCI agreed to adhere to the anti-doping mechanisms governed by the National Anti-Doping Agency.[20][21]

Sunil Joshi, former Indian cricket team spinner was named as Chairman of the national selection panel by the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) of BCCI replacing M. S. K. Prasad in that role.

The BCCI organises the following domestic cricket competitions:

• BCCI Corporate Trophy

The male junior level tournaments are Col. C. K. Nayudu Trophy (Under 25), Mens Under 25 One Day Trophy, Cooch Behar Trophy (Under 19) and Vinoo Mankad Trophy (Under 19), Vijay Merchant Trophy (under 16).

In 2012, BCCI established its own production unit. BCCI's broadcast service does the production work of Indian cricket team's international matches at home as well as of leading domestic championships and IPL . Till 2012, the company who holds the media rights used to do the production work in exchange of money from BCCI. Previously Nimbus sports did production for the board for some years.[22] BCCI's production House holds production rights of Indian cricket.[23]

BCCI has the world's most lucrative and richest cricket league, Indian Premier League abbreviated as IPL. The matches in IPL begins at late afternoon or most of the time in evening.[24] It is one of the biggest sports league in the world.[25]

BCCI does not depend on the Government of India for its finances and hence is a private entity.[26]

In 2020, with US$405 million out of US$1,534 million, India had 26% share in the ICC FTP income disbursed to 10 Test playing nations, while the England and Wales Cricket Board received US$139 million as the second highest earner.[27]

In 2020, to revive the financial health of other boards after the global economic decline and the significantly reduced income of most boards due to the COVID-19 pandemic, ICC will rejig its FTP to schedule more bilateral matches of other nations with India.[27]

The BCCI is regarded as cricket's big economic player.[28] ICC is mainly governed by board of directors which are nominated by each member board. Every member board needs bilateral matches with BCCI for high media rights value. Those boards which go along with BCCI, get good number of bilateral matches leading to high income during bilateral series. They generally work at ICC in consultation with BCCI. In 2009, the ICC and BCCI were in disagreement over the WADA Whereabouts clause.[29]

In FY 2019–2020, the total annual income of BCCI is estimated to be over INR 3,730 crore (US$535 million), including INR 2,500 crore (US$345 million) from the IPL, INR 950 crore (US$139 million) from bilateral cricket with other nations, and INR 380 crore (US$51 million per year or total US$405 million for 8 years) from India's share of ICC revenue.[27]

In 2020, as per the present eight-year Future Tours Program (FTP), India receives a total of US$405 million from ICC, as contrasted with US$139 million to the England and Wales Cricket Board, while US$128 million for each of Cricket Australia, Cricket South Africa, Pakistan Cricket Board, New Zealand Cricket, Sri Lanka Cricket, Cricket West Indies and Bangladesh Cricket Board, and US$94 million for Zimbabwe.[27]

In 2018 Star India won the BCCI'S exclusive media rights for the period of year 2018- 2023. Star India won the rights to broadcast Indian cricket team's matches on their TV channels such as Star Sports 1 HD, Star Sports 2 HD etc. and rights to broadcast on Disney+ Hotstar in 6138.10 crore rupees.

On average, Star Sports pays 60.1 crore rupees per match to the board.[30] The deal also include rights to broadcast men's domestic tournaments such as Vijay Hazare trophy, Ranji Trophy, Irani Cup, Duleep trophy, Mushtaq Ali trophy and women's international cricket matches in India on Star Sport channel and Disney Plus Hotstar.[31]

From 2018 to 2022, global media rights for the IPL are awarded to Star India for ₹16,347.5 crore (US$2.1 billion).[32]

In 2010, the media rights for 25 neutral venue one-day matches to be played over the next 5 years were awarded to Zee Telefilms for $219.16 million.[33]

Star India is the official broadcaster of BCCI, MPL is kit sponsor, Byju's is team sponsor, Paytm is title sponsor for all the bilateral series, which take place in India and for domestic championships such as Ranji trophy, Vijay Hazare trophy, Sayyed Mushtaq Ali trophy, Irani trophy, Duleep trophy and Deodhar trophy. Paytm won the title sponsorship rights in 326.80 crore rupees for 2019–23.[34]Dream 11, Ambuja and Hyundai are official partners.[35]

On 12 September 2006, BCCI announced that it will spend ₹ 1,600 crore over the subsequent one year to upgrade the cricket stadiums around the country.[36]

In March 2020, BCCI President Sourav Ganguly donated ₹ 51 crore to the PM CARES Fund to combat the COVID-19 pandemic in India.[37] BCCI to donate 10-litre 2000 oxygen concentrators to help India fight COVID-19.[38][39]

• Encouragement to other sports -

It announced reward to the medal winners of the country of Tokyo Olympics.[40]

• Contracts – The BCCI created four grades for contracted players A+, A, B, C. The players who are in A+ grade get 7 crores rupees in a year. Players of A grade get 5 crore, B grade's players gets 3 crores and C grade's players receive 1 crore rupees in one year.[41]
• Pension schemes – BCCI give pension to the former domestic and international players who played for the country.[41] On 31 December 1993 BCCI decided to give 50,000 rupees pension to the players, who played more than 25 International Test match for the nation. The board gives 15,000 rupees pension to the players, who played Ranji trophy before 1957- 1958 season.[41] In 2013 BCCI gave one time benefits to the domestic players who played more than 75 first class matches.[42] For women's cricketers the board give 22500 rupees per month pension to the players who played 10 or more Tests for the country and 15000 rupees per month for who played 5 to 9 Tests.[41]
• Insurance – Board provides five lakh rupees insurance to the players, who played under board.[43]

In 2018, the total amount of tax ₹ 472.22 crore, which was outstanding as on 1 April 2018, was cleared along with interest in September 2018 but the Department of Revenue has issued a notice for tax evasion to the BCCI. The Department of Revenue has asked the BCCI to pay another outstanding income tax worth ₹ 1,303 crore, according to details submitted by the Finance Ministry in the Parliament in February 2019.[44]

Earlier in 2007–08, although the Income Tax Department withdrew this exemption, BCCI only paid tax amounting to ₹41.9 crore (US$5.5 million) against its tax liability of ₹413 crore (US$54 million) in the 2009–2010 financial year[45]

In 2012, BCCI had avoided taxes on its income, claiming exemption as a charitable organisation.[46]

The current president is Sourav Ganguly, a former captain of the Indian cricket team.[47]

BCCI have special anti-corruption unit, which have responsibility to stop if there any malpractice in Cricket in the nation.[48][49] The unit investigate unlawful activities such as Betting, spot-fixing, Match-fixing and corrupt approaches of the players.[50]

• National men's Cricket team's selector -

Former India player Chetan Sharma is the incumbent chief selector for men's Cricket team.[51]

Following are the state boards and regional bodies affiliated to the BCCI.

• Category A

1. Andhra Cricket Association
2. Assam Cricket Association
3. Cricket Association of Mizoram
4. Cricket Association of Pondicherry
5. Delhi and District Cricket Association
6. Goa Cricket Association
7. Gujarat Cricket Association
8. Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association
9. Kerala Cricket Association
10. Manipur Cricket Association
11. Meghalaya Cricket Association
12. Nagaland Cricket Association
13. Punjab Cricket Association
14. Sikkim Cricket Association
15. Tripura Cricket Association
16. Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association
17. Baroda Cricket Association
18. Vidarbha Cricket Association

Category B

1. Hyderabad Cricket Association
2. Tamil Nadu Cricket Association
3. Bihar Cricket Association
4. Cricket Association of Bengal
5. Uttar Pradesh Cricket association
6. Mumbai Cricket Association
7. Odisha Cricket Association
8. Saurashtra Cricket association
9. Maharashtra Cricket Association[52]
10. Rajasthan Cricket Association
11. Jharkhand State Cricket Association
12. Arunachal Pradesh Cricket Association
13. Chhattisgarh Cricket Association
14. Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association
15. Karnataka State Cricket Association[53]

BCCI'S former president N. Srinivasan was criticised for biased behaviour towards few state boards, while giving them ODI, Test and T20 matches in his regime.[54] But now BCCI decides venues for international series by rotation policy.[55]

According to BCCI, it does not receive any grants or fundings from Indian government. It is a autonomous body. In 2004 in Supreme court of India board's lawyers said that Indian cricket team play as, “the official team of BCCI and not the official team of India.” The lawyers also claimed that we (BCCI) “not even fly the national flag” and the board never “use any national emblem in the activities of the Board.” It sends its player's name for prestigious awards such as Arjuna award but technically board is not a national sports federation.[56] BCCI is registered as a society in Tamil Nadu state under societies registration act and it denies coming under Article 12 of Indian constitution. From its foundation BCCI did not get sanctioned by Government of India and it started as governing body of Cricket in India as well as representative of India. BCCI is alleged to use British Raj emblem without prior permission from government of India and its offence under the Emblem and Names (Prevention of Improper Use) Act, 1950.[57]