Former BCCI President Inderjit Singh Bindra passed away in New Delhi. He was 84 years old. When England and Australia dominated the cricket world, Bindra was not just an administrator but also a strategic figure in Indian cricket. He established Mohali as one of the best cricket venues in the world and played a major role in bringing the World Cup to India.
Their influence on the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) was unparalleled. They served as the PCA chief for 36 consecutive years from 1978 to 2014. The grand stadium in Mohali is their legacy, later renamed "I.S. Bindra Stadium" in their honor. The historic 2011 World Cup semi-final was played on this very ground, where India defeated Pakistan.
Until 1980, the World Cup was organized only in England. Bindra, along with N.K.P. Salve and Jagmohan Dalmiya, broke this tradition. It was due to the efforts of these three that for the first time in 1987, the World Cup was organized outside England, in India and Pakistan. They brought together Asian countries like India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka to shift the center of cricket to Asia.
Bindra was also a skilled diplomat and bureaucrat. According to former Indian team manager Amrit Mathur, in 1986, when tensions between India and Pakistan were high and Australia and England were reluctant to play there due to security reasons, Bindra found a way. He advised Pakistan's then military ruler General Zia-ul-Haq to visit India, which calmed the situation and paved the way for the World Cup.
Although Bindra and Jagmohan Dalmiya had differences on many issues, they always came together for the benefit of Indian cricket. Both played a crucial role in jointly organizing the 1996 World Cup in India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka. Later, Bindra worked as the chief advisor to Sharad Pawar in the ICC. After Dalmiya's death, Bindra wrote that the current state of cricket would not have been possible without Dalmiya.
Their contribution to cricket broadcasting is also significant. In 1994, they challenged Doordarshan's monopoly in the Supreme Court. Following the court's decision, international broadcasting companies like ESPN and TWI entered the Indian market, rapidly changing the commercial landscape of cricket. After retiring from cricket administration in 2014, they held positions in the ICC and worked as a chief advisor under the presidency of Sharad Pawar. However, their career was filled with controversies. They faced criticism for supporting Lalit Modi in the IPL spot-fixing case and for their appointment as CEO of Cricket South Africa.