‘‘Who? The cricketwallah?’’ At Ghoda Chowk, in Bansi Lal’s Bhiwani, 130 km from Delhi, they know the son has risen. Barely five minutes away, outside the sprawling white bungalow, a crowd of excited followers bask in the glow, reaching out for plates of ladoos doing the rounds. The minutes tick by, the buzz grows and finally, the new president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) walks out. A casual shrug, one fleeting smile, a few crisp handshakes, and Ranbir Singh Mahendra is ready. So how does it feel to be tagged as Jagmohan Dalmiya’s puppet? ‘‘Let me be very frank. My working will not be influenced by any individual. I will not let anybody influence the way the BCCI runs. My personal likes and dislikes don’t matter and I will not do anything that does not seem right in my line of thinking,’’ says Mahendra. ‘‘I know the onus is on me now,’’ he says. ‘‘What many don’t know is I have been working for the BCCI in various capacities for 30 years, that’s half my life, and I know what lies ahead.’’ He is quick to add though that his policy will be one that avoids confrontation, based on ‘‘constant interaction for continuous improvement’’. ‘‘Jagmohan Dalmiya is the outgoing president and obviously there will be interaction and guidance,’’ he says. How comfortable is he with Dalmiya peering over his shoulder as the BCCI’s patron-in-chief? ‘‘I don’t think he will interfere in the day-to-day functioning of the Board. That’s the president’s job.’’ Interaction, Mahendra adds, will also include frequent meetings with the coach, selectors and players. ‘‘For instance, the whole country wants to know why our team is going down. Even I do. So I plan to interact more frequently with the coach, selectors, players so that there’s no communication gap,’’ he says. But, as the new man behind the wheel, his immediate focus is on the India-Australia Test series starting Wednesday. ‘‘Right now, my attention is on making arrangements to ensure that the public gets to see all the matches live on TV,’’ he says. ‘‘We have handed the domestic rights to Prasar Bharati, but of course, everything finally depends on the Supreme Court decision (on the case with Zee).’’ Then, there’s another loose end to be tied up: the din raised by an interview given by captain Saurav Ganguly a few years back, where he virtually trashed Mahendra’s administrative skills. ‘‘The country is proud of the captain and I regard him highly. I am sure Saurav is mature enough to understand the misinformation campaign that’s on,’’ he says. ‘‘Hopefully, I will meet him before the first Test against Australia.’’ What really bothers Mahendra, however, is past presidents and secretaries of the BCCI turning the other way after their terms are over. The solution: ‘‘A code of conduct for them. Sometimes, some of them talk mindlessly, and the public believes them because of the position they once held. Of course, the code can include current officials too, including me.’’ But it’s not just officials and cricketers who will take up the Board’s time from now, he assures. There’s something in store for the men in white coats too. ‘‘I plan to set up a national academy for umpires. The Board had already approved of the idea when I was chairman of the BCCI’s umpiring committee last year. Besides, I feel our representation in the ICC’s panel of umpires is not enough. There’s also the issue of disparity in salaries for umpires from different countries on the ICC panel. I plan to sort all the issues out,’’ he says. By now, the crowd outside has swelled, voices can be heard and Mahendra starts glancing at his watch. But then, what’s 20 minutes with the new BCCI president if you don’t sneak in a question about his incredible win over Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar? This time, the smile’s broad. ‘‘Let me tell you one thing frankly. There was not a single moment through the elections when I thought I would lose.’’
