DUBAI: Diana Edulji has chosen not to accept the BCCI’s lifetime achievement award since she is part of the Committee of Administrators which is currently overseeing the work of the board. The 62-year old former India captain was nominated by a three-member committee on Saturday for a career that spanned from 1976 to 1993, during which she played 20 Tests and 34 ODIs, reported Cricinfo.
In a statement, she said: “I have learned that the BCCI awards committee has conferred the award on me. Neither me, nor any other member of the Hon’ble Supreme Court appointed Committee of Administrators were part of this awards committee.
“However, since I am a member of the Hon’ble Supreme Court appointed committee of administrators of the BCCI, I do not think it is appropriate for me to accept this honour at this juncture. I have discussed my decision with my family, friends, and well-wishers who wholeheartedly support my decision not to accept the award during my tenure as a member of the CoA. In fact, I had made my decision very clear last year as well when my name was suggested for this honour.
“Nevertheless, I would like to thank the members of the BCCI awards committee for considering me worthy of this prestigious honour.'”
The CK Nayudu lifetime achievement award will go to two people: former India batsman and two-time coach Anshuman Gaekwad and the late Pankaj Roy, who went down in history as one half of the biggest partnership for India in Test cricket. Roy and Vinoo Mankad put on 413 against New Zealand in 1956, a first-wicket record that stood until 2008 when South Africa’s Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie broke it. Gaekwad, a gritty opening batsman who played 30 Tests in the 70s and 80s and scored two hundred, was India’s coach during the 1999 World Cup and was also the manager when India beat Australia in back-to-back matches in Sharjah the year before.
Former India women’s batsman and coach Sudha Shah will also be felicitated with a lifetime achievement award for a 15-year career between 1976 and 1991. She played 21 Tests and 13 ODIs to score 601 and 203 runs in each format.
A committee comprising BCCI acting president CK Khanna, the acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary and journalist N Ram have also recommended Abbas Ali Baig, the late Naren Tamhane and the late Budhi Kunderan for the BCCI Special award.
