How One Administrator Transformed Indian Cricket Forever

There was a time when Indian cricket was so strapped for cash that officials paid Doordarshan to televise matches. That world feels impossible to imagine now, but it was reality until two visionaries changed everything.

IS Bindra, a former IAS officer who served as BCCI president from 1993 to 1996, partnered with Jagmohan Dalmiya to revolutionize how cricket operated in India. Their first major win came in 1987 when they successfully lobbied to bring the Cricket World Cup outside England for the first time ever.

The financial transformation started small but steady. Bindra's government background helped him navigate complex international negotiations, while his straight talking approach cut through bureaucratic red tape. Together with Dalmiya, they introduced media rights deals that slowly filled the BCCI's empty coffers.

By 1996, their efforts paid off spectacularly. India co-hosted the World Cup with Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and the event generated revenue levels the Indian board had never seen before. Behind every successful negotiation, Bindra worked the diplomatic channels, especially with Pakistan where his Punjabi language skills bridged cultural gaps.

The Ripple Effect

The foundation Bindra and his colleagues built in the 1990s created a ripple that still resonates today. The BCCI now commands media rights worth millions of dollars and holds unmatched influence in global cricket governance. What started as modest television deals evolved into the Indian Premier League and broadcasting contracts that fund cricket development across the country.

His legacy extends beyond balance sheets. Bindra championed stadium development in Punjab and elevated the state's domestic cricket program from obscurity to competitiveness. He proved that strong administration and clear vision could transform not just finances but entire cricket cultures.

Former BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah remembers Bindra's defining quality: he never hesitated to speak truth, even when it cost him friendships. That integrity, combined with his strategic brilliance, helped establish India as cricket's financial and political powerhouse decades before it seemed possible.

Today's cricket landscape, where India hosts major tournaments and players earn life-changing contracts, exists because administrators like Bindra looked at an empty treasury and saw possibility instead of limitation.