Back in the reckoning for a return to the BCCI after being elected President of the Rajasthan Cricket Association, banned former IPL chief Lalit Modi today said winning the polls is the first step towards returning to the Indian cricket board.

“It is a big victory. It has been four years since I have been fighting the previous cricket establishment at the RCA because of the deteriorating facilities,” Modi told ‘ESPNCricinfo’ after the Supreme Court-appointed observer announced the much-awaited poll results.

Asked whether the win paves the way for a BCCI comeback, Modi said: “I am not denying that. We have to cleanse cricket. The Supreme Court has helped in that activity by appointing the Justice Mudgal panel to probe allegations of corruption in the IPL.”

Modi, who is living in exile here, said his aim is to improve the RCA’s functioning.

“During my previous tenure as RCA President we had made it the premier state association. We had built a modern academy, a good stadium and we had plans to build a new stadium.

“Apparently the academy has fallen apart, there was bias in the selection process (of both first-class and age-group teams) and there is not much cricket happening in Rajasthan anymore. After I left, the administration became political. The CP Joshi regime did not do anything of note at the RCA.”

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