Kolkata: The much-awaited representative body of the Indian cricketers is likely to be floated on the eve of the third and final India-West Indies Test match next week.

"Hopefully, we will make a formal announcement about the formation of the Indian Cricketers' Association (ICA) on October 29," former Test cricketer Arun Lal, the moving spirit behind the new body, told on Friday.

Lal also said that ICA would hold a gala fund-raising dinner two days later as its maiden venture for the benefit of first class cricketers.

He further said the entire Indian and West Indies squads as also Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Jagmohan Dalmiya would be invited to the dinner, which would be held on the second day of the Test match starting on October 30 at the Eden Gardens.

Indian skipper Saurav Ganguly himself has taken the initiative to invite West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadev Bhattacharya, an avid cricket fan, for the gala dinner while the guest list would also include several former Test stars, leading figures from corporate and media houses, Lal said.

Though Lal refused to confirm the speculation that Mansoor Ali Khan Pataudi and he himself would be the president and secretary respectively of the newly created body, he said, "What is certain now is that both of us will play some leading role, but in what capacity you will come to know soon."

Lal also said that former all-rounder Ravi Shastri would be a key committee member and seniors like Ganguly, Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble were also expected to take their seats in a crucial decision making committee.

The formation of a representative body of Indian players was on the cards since the last month's stand-off between the top cricketers and the BCCI over the sponsorship issue just before the Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka.

The Indian cricketers had felt the need for a platform of their own during the controversy as the Board refused to accept Ravi Shastri as the representative of the players.

The row had at one stage even raised the possibility of the Board sending a second string side to the island nation ignoring the top cricketers who had refused to sign the International Cricket Council's players' terms for the tournament.

Lal, who had earlier advocated the revival of the now-defunct Association for Indian Cricketers (AIC) launched 13 years ago, said it was decided to form a fresh body in deference to the wishes of the present Indian cricketers.

The AIC had been formed in the wake of a tussle between the senior players and BCCI over the former's visit to the USA at the end of an official tour of West Indies in 1989.

Asked to comment on Dalmiya's contention that the BCCI would grant recognition to the cricketers’ body only if it represented the entire spectrum of players in the country, Lal said, "We will form the association. Then it's up to the Board to decide whether it recognises it or not."

Lal emphasised that both the Board and the players are responsible partners in ensuring smooth running of the game adding, "Let's hope for the best".

Lal, who was the secretary of AIC earlier, had been in touch with most of the top Indian cricketers as well as Ravi Shastri since the sponsorship controversy and had been working on the formation of a players' body.

Giving further details of the gala dinner, he said that the state Sports Minister Subhas Chakraborty and the city Mayor Subrata Mukherjee will also be present while some of the dinner tables have already been sold to the corporate houses like Sahara India Parivar, Hero Honda, Samsung and Pepsi.

Auctioning memorabilia including cricket gears of star players would generate more funds, he said.

The proceeds from the dinner would be given to charitable organisations and to set up a corpus to help first class cricketers, Lal said.

PTI