Wisden Editor Condemns 'Orwellian' Cricket Authorities for BJP Alignment
The editor of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack, Lawrence Booth, has launched a scathing critique against cricket's governing bodies, accusing them of adopting an 'Orwellian' approach by becoming increasingly beholden to India's ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP). In his latest editorial, Booth asserts that cricket has transformed into a significant piece on the BJP's geopolitical chessboard, with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) openly aligning with Narendra Modi's right-wing government.
Political Grandstanding and Military References
Booth highlights the explicit nature of this relationship, pointing to India captain Suryakumar Yadav dedicating his team's Asia Cup victory over Pakistan to the armed forces. This gesture followed Operation Sindoor – a military conflict in April 2025 that left 26 dead after militants attacked tourists in Kashmir. Prime Minister Modi later celebrated a cricket win by referencing the operation on social media, equating military action with sporting triumph.
The real-world Operation Sindoor had left dozens dead, on both sides of the border. Now it was being equated with a game of T20, Booth wrote, noting Yadav's enthusiastic response to Modi's post.
Performative Snubs and Diplomatic Fallout
The Asia Cup and T20 World Cup were marred by tit-for-tat gestures, including players making references to fighter planes and India refusing to accept the trophy from Pakistani official Mohsin Naqvi. Booth describes these incidents as performative humiliation, contrasting them with private handshakes between captains and friendly exchanges in hockey matches.
Further politicisation was evident in the case of Bangladeshi bowler Mustafizur Rahman, dropped from the Indian Premier League under BCCI pressure following violence against Hindus in Bangladesh. This sparked a diplomatic crisis, with Bangladesh withdrawing from the 2026 T20 World Cup after the ICC denied their request to move matches from India.
Double Standards in Governance
Booth criticises the International Cricket Council for applying double standards, accommodating India's demand for neutral venues in the 2025 Champions Trophy while rejecting Bangladesh's similar request. The sport's governance grows ever more Orwellian, pretending that Indian exceptionalism comes without consequence, he concludes, blaming the root cause on cricket's deepening politicisation under BJP influence.
