Manohar slams "autocratic" Srinivasan

Former BCCI president Shashank Manohar came down heavily on N Srinivasan and said the controversial cricket strongman was damaging the reputation of the board. Widely regarded and respected as one of the cleanest administrators in Indian cricket, Manohar has been rather critical of Srinivasan's desperate attempts to hold on to the BCCI president's post despite growing animosity from different quarters.

Srinivasan's son-in-law, Gurunath Meiyappan, also a former high-ranking official with Chennai, was arrested on charges of fixing by Mumbai Police in May, which led to calls for Srinivasan to step down but he told the media that Meiyappan was only interested in cricket and consequently liked traveling with the team, despite his visiting cards and various TV interviews naming him as the Team Principal. Manohar, also called Mr Clean in many circles for his impeccable reputation dismissed the explanation and said there was enough evidence to link Meiyappan to CSK.

"There is a lot of evidence of Meiyappan being the team principal. The truth will come out. I don't have to state this. It is a fact. He has been charge-sheeted and the law will take its own course, but the evidence is very much there," Manohar told the Mumbai Mirror.

"He is trying to shield everybody, his team included," said Manohar. "He does not want to clean this mess. If my son was in Srinivasan's position, I would have asked him to resign. Srinivasan is an autocrat and wants all the power for himself.

The Supreme Court had allowed Srinivasan to contest the BCCI elections but barred him from taking charge till a further hearing on October 7. Manohar, who was president from 2008 to 2011 said he was asked by some members to contest the elections held on September 29, which Srinivasan won unopposed.

"Many people, including Mr Dalmiya, requested me to come back and contest," Manohar said.

"I left the board two years back and I have not entered its premises again. I have no intention to come back. I said if all the members want me, I will not shirk the responsibility. This board has given me a lot and I was willing to give something back."

Manohar was relentless in his attack on Srinivasan, saying he had tarnished the reputation of the cricket board, built carefully over the years by several luminaries: "This board has been built over the years by very many people but its reputation has been damaged by this man in a span of four months."