"I have never stood in a queue as an aspirant," says MCA chief Ajay Shirke about possibility of taking BCCI's top post

His name may be doing the rounds for one of the top two posts in BCCI but Maharashtra Cricket Association president Ajay Shirke on Saturday said that he does not believe in "standing in a queue" to get a post in the world's richest cricket board.

"Let me clarify to you at the beginning that I have never put myself in contention for any top job within the BCCI nor do I have any goals of getting any posts. My name may be doing the rounds as you say, and it might look to many that I am myself pushing my name in the media, which I have never done," the straight-talking Shirke told PTI over phone from London.

The MCA top boss, who has also been a former treasurer of the board, said that he is still not aware about the date of the Special General Meeting scheduled to be held in Mumbai on May 22. "Since I am in London, I am not aware about the SGM date. If the notice has come from BCCI, it will be at the MCA office only," said Shirke.

However, he said that it would not be proper to predict what's going to happen at this point of time in the BCCI, especially since the Supreme Court is yet to pronounce its verdict. "How can I predict something sitting 7000 kms away? Also the fact that till the Supreme Court verdict is pronounced, it will be difficult to understand the implications that the order will have on the functioning of the board. If all the recommendations are made final and binding, one cannot predict what exactly will be the formation of the board post SC order," Shirke said.

Like BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur, the former treasurer and IPL governing council member also expressed his concerns over the huge revenue losses that the board will incur if the Lodha Committee recommendation on curtailing of advertisements is implemented.

"Since I was treasurer, I have a fair idea about the board's financial position. I can tell that two years from now, the BCCI will run into losses if the revenue stream is curtailed as envisaged," a worried Shirke said. 

Asked about Shashank Manohar's decision of suddenly quitting the BCCI for ICC's independent chairmanship, Shirke gave his perspective on the issue. "Well, he has left at an important time when the Supreme Court order is going to come out. I can't comment about how others have felt but I have my own opinion on it. Had I been in Shashank's place, I would have called an informal meeting of all the members and told them about my decision. I would have shaken hands and thanked them individually as he has had a very long and fruitful association with the board and members have always stood behind him unconditionally. All the decisions that he took were unanimously accepted as all the members had complete faith in his decisions.

"So may be some of the members may be slightly disappointed that they were thanked through the letter of resignation and media, and they would have liked him to call a meeting and say a more personal goodbye," Shirke concluded.