Since when Sachin and Pawar became selectors ?

by KParthasarathi Tuesday, March 25, 2008
http://content.msn.co.in/Contribute/Sports/UCStory6185.htm
The news report that ' Sachin recommended Dhoni as ODI captain' has come as a shock to cricket lovers, not for the choice of the name but the manner of going about it.Pawar has admitted that it was Sachin Tendulkar's suggestion that Dhoni be vested with captaincy for the one-day cricket to Pawar that clinched the issue in Dhoni's favour. There was also the other suggestion from Sachin Tendulkar to Pawar to advise the selectors not to include players of his (Sachin's) generation in the Twenty20 team. These were duly conveyed to the selectors who acted as per the Chief's wishes by dropping the seniors.

We have been told only of these two suggestions from Sachin to Pawar.We are not aware of the possible many that have not been revealed. There is an important lesson in this news item. It is that the selectors are not totally free to do the job allotted to them and interference from influential quarters thro suggestions beset their work.Pawar may innocently deny telling that he only conveyed what Sachin told him but left the decision entirely to the selectors. It is somewhat akin to a suggestion from Sonia to Man Mohan Singh. In diplomatic parlance, 'suggestion' from the top person is an euphemism for a 'command'.

How could Sachin speak on behalf of other seniors unless they had asked him specifically to do so? He can at best speak for himself. Such an assumption of authority to comment on areas that do not fall under his domain is unfortunate and condemnable. The problem with this country is that as soon as a man is praised for his performance, he thinks he is all knowing and can talk on any subject.

It is evident now from these two episodes as to who rules the Indian cricket from behind thro Pawar.Sachin may be a man of few words but apparently gets things done silently from behind the scene. It is said that still waters run deep. It would be rank incursion into the areas of selection if BCCI top management were to offer unsolicited suggestions.Pawar should have desisted from discussing with Tendulkar or Vengsarkar on areas that are not his. .'Render unto Caesar things that are Caesar's' is the motto that Pawar and Tendulkar should follow strictly.

Lamentable behaviour of BCCI

by KParthasarathi Monday, March 24, 2008

http://content.msn.co.in/Contribute/Sports/UCStory6169.htm
The news report that Kapil Dev and Wadekar have not been invited for the function to be held at Chennai to felicitate Anil Kumble for taking 600 wickets is shocking. The only obvious reason could be their association with Indian Cricket League (ICL). Kapil Dev or Ajit Wadekar are not poorer for this slight by the board. They come out as courageous men who will not buckle under pressure to disown ICL.It is BCCI that cuts a sorry figure and making itself a laughing stock.
Why does BCCI nurse such a grudge against ICL? In the corporate world we witness today firms dealing in the same product and competing in a highly competitive market do not exhibit such mutual animosity and hatred as BCCI shows towards ICL.In fact such competing firms form industry associations to protect their common interests. Why should BCCI display such intolerance? Do they want a monopoly in cricket? These are days of free market and the best one survives.BCCI is selling cricket and so does ICL. The attitude of ICC towards such T20 outfits should be uniform. What if Australia or England start one, would ICC deny recognition? Why the step motherly attitude to ICL and preferential treatment to BCCI?
All former captains except the two have been invited and may be rewarded in some way. To exclude these two for having defied its diktat not to join ICL is one form of encouraging slavery. The auctioning of players is in piece with this attitude. It is good to remember that the invitation is for the role played as former captains and not whether they are in employment or not with ICL presently. The two should not be mixed. It smacks of school boy’s peevish behaviour. The other former captains should en masse ignore this function without failing at the same time to felicitate Anil Kumble for his scintillating achievement. What the board does to these two ex-captains may be dealt to others also on future occasions. The players should exhibit solidarity. Such a step alone would send the right message to BCCI which is being run as a private fiefdom and not as a public body to which one billion Indians identify themselves. It is fondly hoped that saner counsel would prevail and the mistake rectified in time.
Kpartha12@hotmail.com

Should we exempt BCCI from tax?

-by KParthasarathi Thursday, March 13, 2008
http://content.msn.co.in/Contribute/Sports/UCStory6095.htm

I am no tax practitioner and am not aware of the rules for levying income tax on BCCI and the various state associations. But I learn that they do not pay any tax and enjoy certain exemptions on satisfying some conditions. It is understood that under the existing provisions of Income-Tax Act 1961, the income of an association established with the object of encouraging games like cricket, hockey, football, tennis is exempt from income-tax. BCCI was required to spend 75 per cent of its annual earnings on the game itself or accumulate and spend the aggregate of such amount over five years. The balance 25 per cent was free reserves. BCCI is no longer the board that we knew of in Seventies and Eighties. Today it is a business house selling cricket for profit.BCCI today is a very rich sports body. After the commencement of IPL its revenues will go up to unprecedented levels. The sport has now assumed fully a commercial complexion and the board is ever after new ways to augment the earnings for itself, the media and the players. The common man who forms the bread and butter of this sport is nowhere in the picture in terms of better facilities for viewing , better infrastructure for his children to take part in the sport in all parts of the country or as an ultimate beneficiary by way of taxes paid by the sports bodies to the exchequer. Not much information is available about the earnings of BCCI, its Balance Sheet, how the money garnered is disposed of, who the beneficiaries are and the state of its finances. Although each one of the Indians identify with BCCI as their own sports body, its accounts are strangely not made public. It is an exclusive private body whose financial affairs are beyond the scrutiny of the common man. Yet for purposes of tax exemption it declares itself as a charitable institution for the benefit of common man in the area of sport.
What charity and to whom? I am not aware of the nature and extent of exemption presently allowed to the board. If the government is exempting the income of BCCI from tax, it is expected that the government would be interested to know how much income BCCI is making and how much of it is spent towards common benefit. If the exemption is allowed on the specious plea that the body is created for development of sport, it behoves on CBDT to find out how much of its revenues has gone to build proper infrastructure in India's various cities and made available to the poor children free of cost. As far as one can see, there is not much done to help the encouragement of sports like cricket in the country except fattening the purses of a few with mind boggling fees and facilities for accommodation and travel that are regal in standard.. Except in a few metros and in fewer cities the children lack the facilities to practice and to play. Private academies that cater to rich and famous cannot take away the responsibility of BCCI and state associations in this regard.
There was a proposal to withdraw this tax exemption from these bodies and make it applicable from the assessment year 2003-2004 and subsequent assessment years. It is not known what the actual position is. As a pre-condition to any exemption BCCI should be accountable to tax authorities. Its audited Balance Sheet should be made public and subject to microscopic review. Sadly BCCI that has fallen in the hands of crafty politicians and cunning corporate has now roped in film folks who are all using cricket for their own private agenda. Public cause is alien to all the transactions of BCCI and its partners. The question arises whether the eight new entities of IPL would also make a plea for exemption that BCCI currently enjoys on the ground they are all working for development of sports. The Finance Minister should examine de novo whether the huge amount that BCCI would receive from IPL and from the TV companies for media rights would attract the benefit of exemption. Tax authorities should review whether the conditions for exemption of tax have been fulfilled by BCCI in the last ten years and where there is failure tax at applicable rates should be levied. This apart a fresh view should be taken for the continuance of any exemption. The tax authorities should also decide the guidelines for treating as allowable expense for its various activities. They should also be brought under the rigours of scrutiny like public companies. The Board should be derecognized as a charitable society and treated as a private company. Gone are the days when players were paid pittance for the trouble of playing matches. They earn these days in crores.It would be gross inequity if they are allowed any concession different from what are available to all professionals. The joke of treating them differently should be put an end to. Taxes should be deducted at source mercilessly as in the case of all small time salary earners for payment to players, coaches, referees etc. The governments which make available land for building stadium or for rent should charge them at the ruling market rates.

IPL is not all that rosy

by KParthasarathi Monday, March 10, 2008
http://content.msn.co.in/Contribute/Sports/UCStory6005.htm
The formation of IPL evidently has the blessings of ICC.Nevertheless Malcolm Speed had emphasized the need for support of the seven member nations of ICC to the idea. More important is the stipulation that the IPL schedule should not dictate international fixtures. There should necessarily be a broad agreement amongst the seven member countries for a separate window for IPL tournament.IPL is essentially a creature of BCCI though players from other nations are part of the different teams of IPL.
It is perhaps too early to judge whether IPL schedule would clash with the interests of other test playing countries for their tours. Since a few international players are also participating in the IPL matches, it is reasonable to assume that regular tours may not take place unless the countries involved select other players to play regular series for their countries. IPL being the baby of BCCI with most Indian players in it, India would not agree to any tour during IPL schedule.ICC having allowed IPL to run as a parallel entity to organize tournaments cannot object to India tailoring its regular tours consistent with IPL programmes.While there may be agreement initially for the first IPL fixtures, it is not clear whether other test playing countries would subject themselves to the convenience of India in the future.
There is a predominance of Indian players in IPL as it is sponsored by Indian business outfits and film personalities. India’s financial clout in cricket and its strategy to rope in a few talented players of other countries with offers of phenomenal fees would in the long run adversely impact the ability of other countries to devise their own programmes to benefit a larger number of their players. They would also be exposed to the risk of their talented players being bought by the IPL teams.IPL competitions would acquire primacy over other tours. It is suspected the voluntary retirement of some key players of other nations could have stemmed from their desire to be wholly available for IPL.Many more can be expected to follow suit. With the leading corporate and media in the thick of IPL, there is no way for individual boards to match its money power. Just look at the money payable to the IPL players for one season of six weeks and work out the fees for one match. Can test playing countries ever think of paying such astronomical amounts for their regular matches? Even BCCI would not pay that kind of money. There will be two sets of players-the fortunate few in IPL and the hapless many outside IPL.
Test cricket has been bartered away to instant T20 cricket because of the latter’s growing popularity, large viewing audience and commercial returns. If perchance ICL is also able to match IPL in money power there would be two sets of tournaments in different seasons. It was a bit rash for ICC to have agreed to the formation of IPL without suitable restrictive clauses. With Pawar likely to be the next head of ICC, its subordination to the interests of IPL would be complete.
The nagging question remains whether IPL with its T20 format would be ringing the death knell of tests and one day games. There is also the fear that eventually IPL would create a wedge between India and other member countries.
Kpartha12@hotmail.com

Lesson from Harbhajan's episode

-by KParthasarathi Wednesday, January 30, 2008
http://content.msn.co.in/Contribute/Sports/UCStory5639.htm

Amidst all the uproar over Harbhajan’s ban for racial slur and subsequent revocation of the ban, we seem to have missed one point namely Bhajji’s foul mouthing. His own admission before the Appeals Commissioner that he had used abusive language fetched him a fine of 50% match fee. This is not the first time that Harbhajan got himself embroiled in such unseemly episodes. He has a history of volatile temper. While BCCI may be relieved that the player has been acquitted of racism charge, it should keep in mind that he is guilty of getting into verbal assaults with players on the other side.

BCCI had also obliquely arm twisted the ICC that the tour would be off if the player was not acquitted of racist charge. It is agreed that Australians are not lily white and are known for sledging. How is it that none of the other Indian players get involved in such fracas? The entire unfortunate incident that affected the players’ morale and concentration could have been avoided had Harbhajan not gone for giving it back to Symonds. The policy of ‘a tooth for tooth and an eye for eye’ sorts ill with a gentleman’s game. If Harbhajan had felt aggrieved by the remarks of Symonds, he should have reported to his captain for taking up with the umpire. To take law in his own hands had transformed what could have been an accusation against Symonds in needling Harbhajan into one of defense with Symonds turned into a victim.

BCCI should arrange counseling for players with short fuse and implement a system of punishment for bad behavior on the field. There should be guidelines to the players on what should be done if they are harassed or sledged by the players in the opposing team. There should be no recurrence of such episodes bringing disrepute to the team and the country.
Kpartha12@hotmail.com

Be humble in victory

-by KParthasarathi Monday, January 21, 2008
http://content.msn.co.in/Contribute/Sports/UCStory5550.htm

We may gloat over our victory in the test at Perth especially after the boorish behaviour of Australian players at Sydney and the unfair decisions by the umpire costing us a match. Yes, jubilation to some extent is justified but to go head over heels as if we had conquered the insurmountable would mean placing high premium on the Aussies.One way of snubbing them is to take the victory in our stride as if it was a commonplace occurence and not go into raptures.
There will be reams of encomiums in the media on the players and possible riches showered on them from the money rich and knee jerk Board. We should not forget cricket is a game of chance between equals. At one point of time when the tail was wagging vigorously, there was the fear of the game slipping away from Indians. The result could go either way on any day. Too much of gamboling and jumping about in ecstasy betrays a sense of inferiority complex. Humility in victory and composure in defeat are the hallmark of the great. Let us rejoice when the team accomplishes another victory at Adelaide and squares the series. Till then we can reserve our judgment.
We may be tempted to play the same team for the fourth test on sentiment and desire not to disturb the composition. Let us be rational and rest Wasim Jaffer and include Dinesh in his place. Harbhajan instead of Dhoni is an option to be kept in mind. The latter has not distinguished himself so far in a big way. .Aussies will return with determination to win like a wounded tiger.
kpartha12@hotmail.com

Are cricket players ‘boys’?

-by KParthasarathi Monday, December 17, 2007
http://content.msn.co.in/Contribute/Sports/UCStory5232.htm

We have often seen the cricket players being referred to collectively as boys. The board officials always express their confidence that the ‘boys’ would do well in the ensuing tour. But then a boy as we know is a young male human (usually child or adolescent). To call thirty plus ageing cricketers who are married and with kids as boys is not what is understood in common parlance. A captain of 30 years and more calling the other players of equal age or more as my boys although collectively is jarring. Particularly when these young men earn what people double their age would not dream of earning and enjoy all the pleasurable past times that normally only adults would indulge in, calling them as boys is not the right thing. True there are some twenty plus in the team younger to the other ageing veterans but that cannot justify their being termed as boys.

When you talk of separating the men from boys we mean men are made of sterner stuff than the weak boys. We would like to believe that our cricketers are real fighters yielding no quarter easily to opponents and would prefer being called men. Matrimonial ads inviting applications for a boy aged 34 is common. But that is private and personal matter of the individual concerned. Not so with the cricketers who are the icons of their vast admirers.

There is one another thing that I would like them to adhere to. They should come to the ground be it for net practice or the formal match smartly dressed, clean shaven and properly trimmed hair(except Harbhajan of course). There should be a natural dignity about them with no place for trivial like ugly stares at the umpire, nodding the head in disbelief on being given out, stamping the foot or the bat, lingering longer than needed to walk away or exchange of words with competing players even under provocation. Even exuberant display of joy on achieving a mile stone is best avoided. A slight raise of the bat or the cap or helmet is adequate acknowledgement of the cheers of the crowd. There are thousands of eyes watching how they conduct themselves. The players should behave like grown up men and not churlish boys. Humility in triumph is the hall mark of great. Can we ever envisage a Don Bradman indulging in crude display of emotions on the ground? Luckily most of our players save a very few earn our praise in this regard. The team should take a pledge that it would shame anyone who provokes them by just ignoring them and leaving the matter in the hands of umpires and the match referee. A fine on the player by the referee should be regarded as a blot on player’s record.
Kpartha12@hotmail.com

Can Kirsten do wonders?

-by KParthasarathi Wednesday, December 12, 2007
http://content.msn.co.in/Contribute/Sports/UCStory5183.htm

The question that comes uppermost in mind is what could be the rationale of choosing a batsman as a coach for the current team that boasts of some titans in the game. The teacher or a guide should be superior in talent to all the players as otherwise he cannot command the respect of the team by his prowess. Kirsten’s profile is at best like some of our senior players and certainly not a cut above them. What is the kind of learning that players like Sachin, Saurav, Dravid or Lakshman or even Yuvraj or Dhoni can expect from him despite about 7000 runs scored in both forms of the game? May be the younger players can learn a trick or two. But is it an adequate reason to run after foreign coaches who appear and talk in condescending manner?
We needed badly a coach to prepare the team before it embarks on possibly the most challenging tour to Australia. Playing in their grounds is different from our tailored pitches. They are waiting to give a drubbing and have already launched verbal taunts to gain a psychological edge. The new coach may be available as per reports only during the middle of tour. Till then a manager of sorts would be holding the fort. What kind of contribution can one expect from such persons on sinecure?
True though there are many willing but the names of desi coaches that did the rounds are not inspiring though some of them were good players in their days.. This must have been the reason for the committee to choose Kirsten. A good player does not necessarily make a good coach. It calls for different skills. The selectors had to make do with what was available. Not many are willing after the Chappell tenure and the refusal of another one to join after selection. The board had also snubbed one good coach after meeting him by remaining silent. Perhaps he knew the Australians better than the others.
The ideal candidate should have led a national team as captain in international matches for fairly long period and should have acquired the skill in all departments of the game like studying the nature pitch, whether to bat or field, what order the batting should be, whom to bowl and when, how to set field placments, the strength and weakness of opponents in general and individually in particular and above all the ability to carry the players with him. It is not that he will interfere with captain’s prerogative but would be giving useful inputs in the team meetings. He should be one who can command the respect of all as a man by his knowledge of the game and deportment. The participation in several test or ODI matches as a player alone will not guarantee this skill. It looks every player after his active days is interested in extending his career either as a commentator, coach or columnist. Not all can fit the bill or shine. It is hoped that under Gary Kirsten the team would scale new heights. For this to happen the players, the board, the past players and the sports writers should give him a long rope and not undermine his authority in any manner immediately after one series.
One gets the impression there is a lot of adhocism in all things that the board does be it in the selection of coach, the team or the selectors. It includes all the other areas of the game. There is a hint of intolerance to different view points with the officials seemingly taking the attitude of “I am talking, let no dog bark.”
Kpartha12@hotmail.com


PREV

The lure of dressing room

-by KParthasarathi Saturday, December 01, 2007
http://content.msn.co.in/Contribute/Sports/UCStory5081.htm
There is consternation among the selectors when BCCI gave its diktat that the dressing room is henceforth out of bounds for them. Some of them are even toying with the idea of quitting. The reason behind the board’s action could be that once the team is selected, the team management takes over with no place for selector(s) to poke their noses and throw their weight around on who plays, in what order and how the game is to be played. It is a very sound decision when one keeps in mind the adage of too many cooks spoiling the broth.
I have always assumed in my ignorance that these are like rest rooms with attached baths for the players to change their sweaty and smelly uniforms after a shower. With fourteen players in the team it should naturally be a crowded place with everyone jostling against the other in the limited space and with media, sponsors, and celebrities trying to get a peep into the much sought after room.
I had assumed that no serious business would be done in such a place till the recent order and I have realized that a dressing room means much more than a trial room in a mall or washing room in an airport. It is here that many secrets are buried as in the bottom of a pyramid. It is in this mystery- filled room that real action takes place more than what is displayed on the ground by the players.
The golden rule is that what goes on in the dressing room stays in the dressing room. This unwritten understanding that the secrets of a dressing room should never go out is breached once in a while with the connivance of the players or the coach or the official of the board who manages the show. Otherwise who would have known that an English captain was fully drunk when he came to practice if a mate had not spilt what he had seen in the dressing room? We would not have known about the spat that Afridi had with another player when Asif intervened only to be hit by the bat used as a club. Even a janitor tells that she saw the late Woolmer counting wads of notes in the dressing room. But some secrets are well kept like why Dravid relinquished his captaincy at the peak of his career and who and what provoked him to take such an extreme step. The mother of all juicy revelations was the public spat between the coach and dada. Ganguly and Greg reportedly had an argument in the dressing room in which Greg suggested Ganguly to step down since he was not in good form and even the team fared poorly under him. The secrecy was breached in this case and their spat was all out in the open. What followed later is public knowledge with Ganguly losing captaincy but managing to retain his place in the team.
To prevent fresh controversies, the board has given strict instructions to the members of the Indian team not to leak the happenings in the dressing room and team meetings. With the selectors also kept out, the chances of the public knowing what happens inside the dressing room have become dim.
But then dressing room is a place where young colts are broken. In any bunch of players one could observe some are jolly characters given to fun and frolic, some talented in singing, playing drums or guitars, some cerebral working out the mysteries of D&L formula or reading books, and some morose and self centred.An assorted group from diverse regions brought up in different backgrounds and with different educational attainments, they are bound by the common thread of representing the country in the game. There are always a few who keeps the others on a high in the dressing room with their antics, music or even chats. Professional jealousy, varying media attention and fluctuating opportunities to be in the playing eleven keep the players tense although outwardly they may appear chummy. But being in the squad for long periods brings no doubt the feeling of togetherness and camaraderie.
It is here the big decisions affecting the course of the matches are taken by team management and not all of them can be made public knowledge. Certain privacy is conducive to the conduct of the game and to the bonding of young players though unfair methods, parochialism, ganging up against an individual player or two, illegal stuff like betting, wrecking the game as a spite against the captain or for personal glory, indiscipline are things to be brought to board’s attention and even public domain.
kpartha12@hotmail.com

Requirements of a coach

-by KParthasarathi Thursday, November 29, 2007
Author Profile
http://content.msn.co.in/Contribute/Sports/UCStory5071.htm
It appears that the former South African opener Gary Kirsten may be appointed as the coach for Indian team ending the long period of speculation.His credentials for the job as is understood from media are :

-has scored about 7000 runs each in both forms of cricket as an opener
-had the determination and ability to bat for long periods and a hunger for scoring runs
-is calm, level-headed and organised
-was a consultant batting coach for some team
-runs his own cricket academy in Cape Town since 2006.

Nothing spectacular about him except that he was one of the many good batsmen in the world of cricket. There are many other illustrious names with bigger coaching experience at national and international levels. There are many players in the current Indian team with equal or greater achievements to their credit. It would not have been the intention of the committee, which finalized on this name, that Kirsten would be teaching these seniors a few tricks of the trade they are not already aware of. May be they did not keep in mind the sensibilities of the senior players in choosing an individual who is at best an equal and not anything more. May be after the unfortunate circumstances surrounding the tenure of Chappell and the subsequent refusal of a coach to join after selection, there are not many big names willing to handle the job except on their own terms.We will never know what factors influenced the selectors to pitch upon Kirsten.
While excellence as a player for long years at the highest level, be they in batting or bowling, is an essential requirement, it alone is not sufficient. There must be proven evidence of having coached reputed teams of the top three or four countries in the cricket world. This requirement is not met in the instant case.The coach must have also exhibited outstanding man-management skills and capacity to motivate. He must be one who can command the respect and inspire the awe by his past records and profound knowledge of the game and proven ability to strategize for the team in big tournaments. He should have a long term vision and know the direction for taking the team.In the case of Indian team which has big men with bigger reputation and earning capacity, the coach should also be a superman even to make them listen.Remember the ordeal that Chappell went thro with some of the rebelliousplayers.
I do not know about Kristen’s capabilities to meet the high demands of coaching an Indian team and fondly hope that the wise heads who have selected him have taken note of these points.I do hope that the senior players would cooperate with the coach instead of belittling his efforts by devious ways.It would be nice if the current bowling and fielding coaches are also made part of the coaching scheme so that the good work being done by them is not lost.
kpartha12@hotmail.com

Chappell is not off the mark on a flawed team

-by

KParthasarathi Monday, November 19, 2007

http://content.msn.co.in/Contribute/Sports/UCStory4949.htm

Blog this story
The BCCI may be furious over Chappell's charges that Indian team for the word cup was a flawed group without many youngsters and may dismiss them as rubbish. The secretary may take shelter under the usual argument that the Board doesn’t get involved in selection maters that falls under the exclusive domain of selectors. Even the boy who plays cricket for the school knows that the tentacles of the board are spread far and wide on every aspect of the game. The Chairman of BCCI functions like the heads of dynastic political parties. All of them will swear that their parties function democratically with their strength drawn from the petty workers on the field. All decisions taken in the name of high command or executive council are really the wishes of the supremo.Everyone else is a paid hireling remaining in office at his/her pleasure. It was the same when Dalmia was at the helm and now the genuflection of the various functionaries in BCCI is much more pronounced with the head being a powerful minister with lot of clout. His word is decree and wishes are commands. Unless BCCI is saved from powerful people, things would continue like this. Let the half dozen old names who take turn to occupy offices yield their places to a totally new set of capable and younger people who wish to serve the game. For this the structure of BCCI should change.
The selection of Indian team has always been an amusing subject with no predictability or clear direction. The culture of the country with its hero worship and personality cult is very much prevalent in cricket body too. Some players from some regions do not come under normal evaluations. To talk about their fitness or suitability is sacrilege. Greg Chappell raised hornet’s nest by talking to Ganguly about the need to relinquish captaincy to focus on his game and pleading for more youngsters in the team to raise its level and competitive spirit. But the culture of trusting old and tired limbs and making the youngsters wait till they became old went against this insistence of the coach India’s foray was an anticipated disaster losing after the first round. Our ego would not accept the sane advice of an experienced coach.
The selection committee based on regional representation was not designed to be national in character. Invariably there would be briefings from the high command thro its minions on whom to select and whom not to. BCCI, an essentially money making body, go by the wishes of sponsors who are the bread and butter of the institution. They in turn have their commitments on some players on whom their crores ride on. The game and performance take a back stage in such a dénouement. The sponsors ensure they rope in the selectors too with assignments .They have a great say in the choice of players notwithstanding the protestations to the contrary. Everything is done behind the scene far from the scrutiny of the public.
The selection committee’s methodology and the reasons for selection or exclusion of players are always shrouded in mystery. Even the press conference after the selection of the team where the questions would be dealt with in mono syllables is dispensed with. Unless a speaking document signed by the selectors giving the reasons for inclusion and non inclusion of players in the zone of consideration is released, the hanky panky of favouritism would continue. Sunlight is the best disinfectant. Let things come to public domain.
If an organization is incapable of choosing a new coach for more than a year and is content to give its cronies the position of managers, the game will be like what it is today. The lone success in T20 or some wins against a depleted Pakistan team should not make us complacent. In the view of Allan Donald it is only England and South Africa who is regarded as equal to mighty Aussies and who may supplant them. To prove him wrong the emphasis should be on talented youth and in building a vast reservoir of players for the highest level. Players above 30 however great and fit should compulsorily retire. Let everyone get an opportunity to serve the country. A country of billion will always throw up competent youngsters. Sadly we have gone back to an old warhorse as captain for test team. We have no guts to put our faith on a young Dhoni. We would continue with the thirty plus warriors with their slow reflexes and weak limbs and keep the youngsters waiting on the sidelines.
Instead of getting upset with what Chappell said and responding in arrogant tone, let BCCI change its ways. Otherwise we will be talking about the same issues after a rout in down under.
Kpartha12@hotmail.com