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Johannesburg - Cricket South Africa's (CSA) new CEO, Haroon Lorgat, says he does not know how he managed to offend the Board of Control for Cricket India (BCCI) but he is willing to apologise to them if necessary.
"India is an important stakeholder in cricket and, even from a personal perspective, I don't like to be out of favour with someone who was once a friend of mine," Lorgat said on Monday.
"I will do my best to go there and find out what their issue is, and apologise if I must."
Lorgat was named as the cricket body's chief executive on Saturday despite previous indications from the BCCI that they would not be happy with his appointment.
His vast experience gained while serving as the chief executive of the International Cricket Council (ICC), from 2008 to 2012, made him the frontrunner for the local post while also placing in jeopardy the relationship between the two cricket bodies.
During his ICC tenure he was said to have upset the powerhouse of international cricket.
"I did what I thought was best for the game of cricket and, if I offended somebody in that process, I've got to understand what it is and they must understand why I did it.
"The BCCI complained to the ICC and I let the independent ethics officer deal with it. If it was an issue where I had overstepped, or didn't do right, then I know I must pay the price.
"Fortunately, the ethics officer dismissed the allegations."
Lorgat believed it was an unhealthy situation if one party held too much control, and the focus should be placed on uplifting the less influential organisations in the game.
"In any system, too much dominance by one party is not good but we should not begrudge strong people.
"We should be worrying and looking after those who are weaker. We should find ways and strategies for them to improve.
"Even for CSA, we cannot have a dependency mentality. All of us who are not as strong as the BCCI should aspire to be as strong as them."
The executive position at CSA had been vacant since former CEO Gerald Majola was suspended and eventually sacked in 2010 for his part in the long-running bonus scandal, following the 2009 Indian Premier League tournament hosted by South Africa.
Lorgat acknowledged and thanked interim chief executives Jacques Faul and Nassei Appiah for their sterling services "during a period which would have been extremely challenging".
"It would also be remiss of me not to thank Gerald Majola -- not withstanding the challenges he had faced and the manner of his exit," Lorgat said.
"It is a pity about the manner he had to exit but I appreciate the work he had done for CSA and it is only right for me to put it on record.
"But that is all in the past and I am starting afresh. I will be as transparent as I possibly can be and look forward to maintaining that sort of relationship [with the media and the public]."
Lorgat's three year tenure is effective from August 1.
"India is an important stakeholder in cricket and, even from a personal perspective, I don't like to be out of favour with someone who was once a friend of mine," Lorgat said on Monday.
"I will do my best to go there and find out what their issue is, and apologise if I must."
Lorgat was named as the cricket body's chief executive on Saturday despite previous indications from the BCCI that they would not be happy with his appointment.
His vast experience gained while serving as the chief executive of the International Cricket Council (ICC), from 2008 to 2012, made him the frontrunner for the local post while also placing in jeopardy the relationship between the two cricket bodies.
During his ICC tenure he was said to have upset the powerhouse of international cricket.
"I did what I thought was best for the game of cricket and, if I offended somebody in that process, I've got to understand what it is and they must understand why I did it.
"The BCCI complained to the ICC and I let the independent ethics officer deal with it. If it was an issue where I had overstepped, or didn't do right, then I know I must pay the price.
"Fortunately, the ethics officer dismissed the allegations."
Lorgat believed it was an unhealthy situation if one party held too much control, and the focus should be placed on uplifting the less influential organisations in the game.
"In any system, too much dominance by one party is not good but we should not begrudge strong people.
"We should be worrying and looking after those who are weaker. We should find ways and strategies for them to improve.
"Even for CSA, we cannot have a dependency mentality. All of us who are not as strong as the BCCI should aspire to be as strong as them."
The executive position at CSA had been vacant since former CEO Gerald Majola was suspended and eventually sacked in 2010 for his part in the long-running bonus scandal, following the 2009 Indian Premier League tournament hosted by South Africa.
Lorgat acknowledged and thanked interim chief executives Jacques Faul and Nassei Appiah for their sterling services "during a period which would have been extremely challenging".
"It would also be remiss of me not to thank Gerald Majola -- not withstanding the challenges he had faced and the manner of his exit," Lorgat said.
"It is a pity about the manner he had to exit but I appreciate the work he had done for CSA and it is only right for me to put it on record.
"But that is all in the past and I am starting afresh. I will be as transparent as I possibly can be and look forward to maintaining that sort of relationship [with the media and the public]."
Lorgat's three year tenure is effective from August 1.
