Sachin Tendulkar defends BCCI, says Indian cricket board has done a lot for the country

New Delhi: Batting great Sachin Tendulkar has given moral support to the embattled Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) by saying that it has done a lot for the game in the country".

Speaking during a session as the Hindustan Times Leadership Summit on Saturday, Tendulkar said "My personal feeling is that when I was growing up, I got a lot of support from the BCCI. The BCCI and the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) arranged a lot of camps."

In yet another chapter of the ongoing tussle between the BCCI and Lodha panel, the Indian board maintained it's opposition to some of the key recommendations suggested by the Supreme Court appointed committee during during the Special General Meeting (SGM) in Mumbai yesterday.

But the legend maintained that it would be "unwise" to comment on Lodha panel recommendation as the Supreme Court verdict is still pending.

"...BCCI has supported and taken care of the players and given us ample opportunity to grow. But it doesn't stop at this. Not everything is perfect but things can improve," he added.

According to reports, the board did not take any decision on the recommendations but asked state associations to keep a Plan B ready in case of any contingency.

"Senior office-bearers said we have to wait till December 5. Any decision taken can be Contempt of Court. He also advised that state units will have to keep a Plan B ready. If court gives a verdict we have to abide by it and change constitution accordingly," a state unit official told PTI.

The Lodha panel, in its status report submitted on November 21, had requested the Supremer Court to dismiss all BCCI office bearers and appoint former home secretary GK Pillai as interim observer with a power to appoint auditor.

Afterwards, the apex court on November 25 agreed to hear on December 5 a plea of Cricket Association of Bihar (CAB) seeking a direction to BCCI to implement the suggestions of Lodha panel, including appointment of Pillai as observer and sacking of all office bearers who are in violation of its recommendations.