Dilip Vengsarkar to head the players association in Mumbai

The former Indian captain and the present vice-president of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA), Dilip Vengsarkar, is going to head the Mumbai Cricketers body. As suggested by the Justice (Retired) RM Lodha committee, the process of forming a players’ association has been initiated in Mumbai.

After the Lodha committee recommendations, Vengsarkar has now been appointed a chief promoter president of the Cricketers’ Association of Mumbai. The new committee of the cricketers’ body comprises of former Mumbai and Indian cricketers. It also includes Diana Edulji, who was captain of Indian women’s cricket team.

As quoted from Cricbuzz, a source said, "A nine-member ad-hoc committee, comprising of former Mumbai and India cricketers Pravin Amre, Sameer Dighe, Ajit Agarkar, Raju Kulkarni, Nilesh Kulkarni, Amol Muzumdar and Diana Eduljee (former India women's captain) has been formed for registration of the association by the charity commissioner of Mumbai.”

“The Memorandum of Articles of the Association (MOA) has been sent to Vengsarkar and Co for approval. After this committee's approval of the same, the association will be registered. The entire process should be over by month-end.”

The former cricketer showed his batting prowess when he played against the Rest of India team in the Irani Trophy at Nagpur in 1975 with a stunning century on the scoreboard, against the likes of Bedi and Prasanna, who were then at the peak of their career.

The cricketer became more popular with his batting skills after India’s tour to Australia in 1977. He batted for India in the No. 3 position.

At the end of July, the Supreme Court of India’s verdict declared that the chief of any cricket body associated with the BCCI cannot be more than 70 years of age.

After the announcement of the verdict, the former chief of the International Cricket Council (ICC) and Board of Cricket Council for India (BCCI), Sharad Pawar, declared in a press conference that he would be the happiest person to follow the recommendations and would retire from the Mumbai Cricket Association.

Now, it is to be seen if all former international cricketers are made members of the MCA. The source further reported that once the Lodha reforms are implemented, the players’ association will have two representatives each, comprising of one male and one female in the main council of the MCA.