MCA must draw former players to revive cricket

The Mumbai Cricket Association has quietly accepted that there has been a sharp decline in its standards over the last two years, leaving the team in a state of limbo.
It is now attempting to make amends, even taking some popular decisions, including a change in the structure of its tournaments. Leading up to the decision, the old format was analysed by some creative minds who had not only played club-level cricket but also have a degree in sports management.
The analysis showed that the old system of knock-out inter-club tournaments was a big impediment in the growth of players. Not only would a team not get a second opportunity but individual players who may have missed the match would lose out on the platform completely.
Interviews of renowned former cricketers who have, both, played for and against Mumbai, for my PhD thesis on Mumbai cricket, reveals that the decision is widely approved by former cricketers.
Even the likes of Sunil Gavaskar endorse the move.
Sudhir Naik, who has been heading the National Cricket Club for more than three decades, feels that the league format which affords teams a minimum of thirteen games over four months, "allows selectors to assess the consistency of players, whereas, the knock-out format would curtail the opportunity to players."
However, much more needs to be done and the question that the MCA needs to address is: who should do it? Gavaskar says, "It's important that those who vote in MCA elections have played cricket. While the number of registered players may be too large, I feel first class players and umpires should be given voting rights."
The current percentage of cricketers in the voters' list is negligible. Another former Mumbai great Ajit Wadekar says that cricketers' active participation is important for the development of the game as they will bring the knowledge and experience of having played the game to the management table.
An interesting case study on the issue is found in the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA). KSCA was averse to according voting rights to players until Brijesh Patel took over the reigns in 1998. Says Patel of the experience, "I was the only Test player who was a member in the association.
"Other cricketers like G R Vishwanath, Roger Binny, and a few other cricketers backed me and contested on club seats, as they were not members, and won. We promptly passed the resolution in the AGM giving voting rights to players. Those who have played Test cricket, or a minimum of thirty first-class games, qualified although that number increased later".
The ideal solution perhaps could be that the MCA reserves 50 percent of the seats in the managing committee for retired state players. This will encourage former players to get into administration.
Having former players administrating the game not only enhances the image of the historical association but also ensures that the game continues to grow in the right manner.