Pragyan Ojha
The Indian Cricketers Association (ICA) on Wednesday nominated former India spinner Pragyan Ojha as its representative to the IPL governing council, a day before the BCCI's Annual General Meeting.
The BCCI will hold its 89th AGM in Ahmedabad on Thursday.
The association was earlier represented by former India player Surinder Khanna, as according to the BCCI constitution, the ICA is required to send a member to the IPL governing council every year.
"Yes, the ICA's directors have nominated Pragyan Ojha to the IPL governing council. Surinder Khanna has done a very good job and we like to give opportunity to every one," ICA president Ashok Malhotra told PTI.
Left-arm spinner Ojha retired from international and first-class cricket in February this year.
The ICA, whose Board of Directors arrived at the decision after its AGM on December 19, also issued a press release in this regard.
"The members had authorised the Board of Directors to nominate the member to the IPL GC and the ICA Board, after due deliberations and taking into consideration any possible issues of conflict of interest, found in Ojha a suitable candidate to represent them. This nomination will hold good for one year," the ICA stated in the release.
"The AGM conducted via video conference, touched upon the issues that had been raised by the ICA Representatives to the BCCI Apex Council to further the cause of ICA's members.
"The representatives as also the ICA office bearers had repeatedly raised the issue with the BCCI of increasing the gratis and medical reimbursement and include widows as also those who have played between 10 and 24 first class games for the same. The BCCI has also been requested to include domestic women cricketers in their gratis scheme," the ICA said.
Besides Ojha, Brijesh Patel and Khairul Jamal Majumdar, who were unanimously chosen by the BCCI last year, will be the other members of the IPL governing council.
The 34-year-old Ojha last played for India in 2013 during Sachin Tendulkar's farewell Test against the West Indies in Mumbai.
In all, he played 24 Tests between 2009 and 2013 and has 113 wickets to his credit.
