In a scathing letter addressed to BCCI president CK Khanna, secretary Amitabh Choudhary and treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry, former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly on Tuesday said Indian cricket is in "danger" and he fears for the future of administration given how "poorly" the sexual harassment allegation against BCCI CEO Rahul Johri has been handled.
"I don't know how far it's true (the allegations against Johri), but the recent reports of harassment has really made the BCCI look very poorly (sic)... More so the way it has been handled," Ganguly wrote.
"I write this mail to you all with the deep sense of fear as to where Indian cricket administration is going," the 46-year-old Cricket Association of Bengal president said in the letter.
Former cricketer and Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) President Sourav Ganguly writes to BCCI Acting President CK Khanna, Secretary Amitabh Chaudhary and Treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry over Committee of Administrators (CoA) and sexual harassment allegations against Rahul Johri. pic.twitter.com/iAh8o7ECXz
— ANI (@ANI) October 30, 2018
An anonymous user on social media had accused Johra of sexual harassment. A three-member independent committee set up by the Committee of Administrators (COA) is currently investigating the matter
The two-member COA, comprising chairman Vinod Rai and Diana Edulji, differed bitterly on the issue. While Edulji wanted Johri sacked or suspended pending a probe, Rai favoured an inquiry report first and stood in the way of his removal.
Expressing his concern over the differences, Ganguly wrote: Â "With deep sense of worry , (I used the word worry), I beg to state that the way things have gone in the last couple of years, the authority of Indian cricket to the world and the love and belief of millions of fans is on the way down."
"The committee of COA from four, has come down to two, and now the two seem to be divided... Cricketing rules are changed in the middle of a season, which has never been heard of," he said referring to the unprecedented change of rules to play for a state midway through the season.
Ganguly said Indian cricket has been built by the "hard work" of some "superb" administrators and greatest of cricketers.
"I, at the present moment, think it's in danger. Hope people are listening," he concluded.
(With PTI inputs)