The working committee of the BCCI, which met in New Delhi on November 26, wanted an approach of co-operation, and not confrontation, in the board's stand-off with ICC, according to former BCCI president Rajsingh Dungarpur. Dungarpur, speaking exclusively to Wisden.com, said: "Jaggu [Jagmohan Dalmiya] is experienced and understands the consequences of the stand-off snowballing. The BCCI is left with no option but to fall in line with the ICC. Sometimes, discretion is the better part of valour."

The cricketing fraternity had a one-point agenda: to save the game from becoming a casualty in the political crossfire.

Chetan Chauhan, former India opener and an MP in the ruling Hindu right-wing Bhartiya Janata party, called on the powers-that-be in ICC and Dalmiya to "act in a mature and statesman-like manner" to ensure cricket does not become a sacrificial goat.

"Compromise is the only solution to the impasse," Chauhan said. "The ICC have asked that Virender Sehwag should not be selected for the Mohali Test and BCCI should honour that as a compromise formula from their side. The ICC, on the other hand, should not pressure the BCCI with a needless pre-Test deadline. If this was an away Test would the ICC have asked Sehwag to return home? That's unfair. They have to ease that condition as a compromise from their end."

He felt that, in the face of global thinking about Mike Denness going overboard with his decisions, ICC should assure the BCCI that an independent panel of men with high integrity would review the decision of the match referee. "It's draconian and goes against natural justice that there is no right of appeal," he added.

Nari Contractor, a former India captain whose career ended following a near-fatal blow to his head by a Charlie Griffith bouncer, felt that, because Denness had changed his tune on Sachin Tendulkar's culpability, and because the on-field umpires never complained in the first place, it was fair to say that the enforcement of rules by the match referee looked faulty.

"One way to settle the impasse would be for the ICC to allow Sehwag to play the Mohali Test with the condition that the matter would be referred to the ICC executive meeting. And if they find Sehwag guilty then the BCCI should drop him in the very next Test after the meeting," he said.

Kiran More, who represented India in 86 Tests between 1986 and 1993, was another former player who wanted the BCCI to take the path of rapprochement. "The board should drop Sehwag with the message that they will take up the issue very strongly at the ICC executive committee meeting," he said. "They can also explore legal options. Cricket will be the biggest loser if the situation escalates any further and that should be avoided at all costs."

TA Sekar, a former India fast bowler who was one of the national selectors until last season, said that both BCCI and ICC need to "get off from their high horses" and should settle the issue amicably.

H Natarajan is senior editor at Wisden.com India.

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