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Team India may not participate in ICC Champions Trophy 2017. Know why?

It might come as a shock to many but the richest cricket board in the world— BCCI is expected to remain silent in ICC’s Dubai meet. Dubai meet will surely witness a considerable amount of policy changes for the next cycle. The ICC Board meeting in Dubai is to start on February 3 and will be concluded on February 4. CEO Vikram Limaye and BCCI secretary Amitabh Chaudhary will be representing BCCI in the meet. This meet is expected to incorporate major changes for the coming cycle which will directly be affecting BCCI. Although, BCCI  might just survive this onslaught by threatening to pull out of ICC Champions Trophy 2017 starting June 1.

The major changes include abolishing the Big Three model. According to the current model BCCI has 20.3 per cent stake in revenues earned by ICC. If speculations are to be believed, the percentage of revenues is expected to drop 50 per cent which will amount to a loss of INR 3,000 crores (approximate figure). These figures might even get worse, eventually causing a big loss to the board.

BCCI do not only fear the loss of ICC revenues but also IPL. Sounds strange, isn’t it? ICC is likely to give Afghanistan and Ireland Test statuses which will give birth to a new Test structure which will leave less time for Indian Premier League (IPL). Not only this but the speculated introduction of at least one ICC event per year will disrupt with IPL which has earned a big deal for BCCI.

These decisions will be given green flag in ICC’s annual conference to be held after the conclusion of ICC Champions Trophy 2017. The only way through which BCCI can strike a bargain with ICC, is through threatening to pull out of ICC Champions Trophy 2017. Coming two days will decide the fate of BCCI and whether Big Three converts into Big Two or not.