England tour being put in danger by Thakur, Shirke: Lodha source

The obstinate attitude of BCCI president Anurag Thakur and secretary Ajay Shirke is putting the entire “England series in jeopardy” said a source close to the Supreme Court appointed Justice R.M. Lodha panel.

While the BCCI is yet to sign an MoU with the ECB regarding the clause including the financial aspects related to the series citing non-appointment of auditor, the source made it clear that the England Test series will be in a limbo if Thakur and Shirke don’t file their compliance report and appear in person before the panel.

The source said that the Lodha panel was still waiting for the affidavits from Thakur and Shirke “President and secretary as per the SC direction have to file affidavits in two weeks and then appear before the committee. They have done neither. President BCCI also has to furnish undertaking to the committee. That has also not been done. In the absence of all this, the England tour is being put in jeopardy by Thakur and Shirke.”

In an earlier response, Lodha panel has stated: “The proposed MoU between BCCI and ECB concerns bilateral cricketing policy, the formulation of which is not a part of the mandate of the committee.”