THE HINDU Editorial Vocabulary- September 30, 2016- Topic 2
The Lodha Committee’s status
report, highlighting how the Board of Control for Cricket in India has failed
to adopt the recommended administrative reforms, has left the game’s officials
in a quandary. In a 79-page report filed in the Supreme Court, Justice R.M.
Lodha has said the BCCI’s current office-bearers would have to relinquish their
posts for the proposed changes to be effected. Lending greater force to the
punch, Chief Justice of India T.S. Thakur said the BCCI elite would have to
“fall in line, or else we will make them fall in line”. The provocation for
these firm strictures was the BCCI’s Annual General Meeting in Mumbai on
September 21, where a slew of decisions were taken, ranging from the nomination
of Sharad Pawar as ‘alternate director for International Cricket Council
meetings’ to the appointment of new selection committees. The actions were seen
as a failure to heed the Supreme Court. When the Lodha Committee green-lighted
the BCCI’s AGM, it was with the caveat of sticking to appraising the year
2015-16, but the board discarded the retrospective gaze and instead looked
ahead. The appointment of selection committees, to cite one example, went against
norms set by Justice Lodha, who had recommended a three-member panel. The board
stuck to the status quo of having five.
Wednesday’s developments in
court now put the BCCI in a piquant situation. The BCCI’s elbow room has
shrunk, and it is expected that the chastised board will toe the line, though
it has time till October 6 to file a reply in the Supreme Court. This sorry
state of affairs couldn’t have come at a more inopportune moment. India has a
home season bounty — 13 Tests, including the match that concluded in Kanpur
this week, and an imminent Ranji Trophy schedule. Now there is the risk of
disarray. The sport is perhaps India’s best-governed, but the administrators
refuse accountability. The cricket schedule (domestic and international) is
well- drawn, former cricketers get a generous pension, young players find
financial security in the Indian Premier League, and there is much to cheer in
Indian cricket. But a refusal to embrace transparency and the lack of respect
for the ordinary fan have been emblematic of a feudal mindset that guides
cricket’s officialdom. BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke has been quoted as saying the
board did what it felt was best for the game; BCCI president Anurag Thakur has
often declared he is out to clear “wrong perceptions”. Their intentions are,
however, yet to be matched by their actions. They need to take care they do not
precipitate what could be the most serious crisis yet for Indian cricket.
Vocabulary
Quandary: a state of perplexity or uncertainty over what to do in a difficult
situation.
Example: Kate is in a quandary
Synonyms: predicament, plight, difficult
situation, awkward situation
Relinquish: voluntarily cease to keep or claim; give up.
Example: He relinquished his managerial role to become chief
executive
Synonyms: renounce, give up/away, hand
over, let go of; leave, resign from
Elite: a select part of a group that is superior to the rest in terms of ability
or qualities.
Example: The elite of Britain's armed forces
Synonyms: best, pick, cream, crème
de la crème, flower, nonpareil, elect
Slew: turn or slide violently or uncontrollably in a particular direction.
Example: The Chevy slewed from side to side in the snow
Heed: careful attention.
Example: If he heard, he paid no heed
Synonyms: attention, notice, note, regard, consideration
Caveat: a warning or proviso of specific stipulations, conditions, or limitations.
Example: But it is also liberally sprinkled with caveats and
warnings as to the difficulties in turning up more evidence.
Synonyms: warning, caution, admonition, proviso, condition, stipulation, provision
Gaze: a steady intent look.
Example: He turned, following her gaze
Synonyms: stare, fixed look, gape, regard, inspection, scrutiny
Piquant: having a pleasantly sharp taste or appetizing flavor.
Example: Herbs and spices add a piquant taste that ketchup can't
match.
Synonyms: spicy, tangy, peppery, hot, tasty, flavorful, appetizing, savory
Shrunk: move back or away, especially because of fear or disgust.
Example: She shrank away from him, covering her face
Synonyms: recoil, back away, retreat, withdraw, cringe, cower, quail,
draw back,
Chastised: rebuke or reprimand severely.
Example: He chastised his colleagues for their laziness
Synonyms: scold, upbraid, berate, reprimand, reprove, rebuke, admonish
Inopportune: occurring at an inconvenient or inappropriate time.
Example: A storm blew up at an inopportune moment
Synonyms: inappropriate, unsuitable, malapropos, unfavorable, unfortunate
Accountability: the fact or condition of being accountable; responsibility.
Example: Their lack of accountability has corroded public respect
Synonyms: responsibility, liability, answerability
Transparency: the condition of being transparent.
Example: The transparency of ice
Synonyms: translucency, limpidity, clearness, clarity; openness, accountability
