Selectors are indeed a bunch of 'muppets'. And most often, the guy who tops the list, is a joker. Marvan Atapattu's jibe about the state of cricket in Sri Lanka, holds true not only for that country but elsewhere too. In a country, where cricket is in the hands of the Government, through interim committee and who-nots, the swamps will always be on the greasier side.
Atapattu's statement must be taken in the holistic aspect and not by the words or the adjectives used in them. The way cricket is administered in all sub-continental countries provides an ideal breeding ground for these clowns to emerge higher than they ever would. If Sri Lanka has an Asantha de Mel, India's answer to the clown would be Dilip Vengsarkar or even Pakistan has a Salahuddin. But, the situation in Sri Lanka is even more crass, because the Minister pokes his dirty hands in selection, not that, this never happens in either of the two countries mentioned above.
Atapattu's inclusion for the tour of Australia is itself an interesting case. A man who was practicing hard with the 'A' team before leaving for England to play a handful of games for Lashings against Village teams, was somewhere a stark contradiction to what top cricketing nations look for in terms of form. Sri Lankan cricket is somewhere a reflection of a stagnant system, not willing to take risks at apt times. Has there ever been a transition period in Sri Lanka's cricketing history ? Not that one is aware of. But, in those terms, Sri Lanka have been blessed with talented incumbents to replace the old guards. But today, there is a massive crack in the system, where a minister is more concerned about calling the shots than create a healthy infrastructure for sport in Sri Lanka. And here is the same man, who extended de Mel's duties for one more year. A filthy confrontation that is taking Sri Lankan cricket, 5 years backwards.
So, is Rahul Dravid's omission from the Indian squad against Pakistan. Call it a personal propaganda, or a public fallout or even some damp politics, one might never come up with a satisfactory answer. And, where has Indian cricket seen a man, willing to put his career on the mat, come out in the open and rant about the gross activities that happens at the top ? What prevails in India is a post-independence hangover of embracing the system, than expose it. Dilip Vengsarkar is a great example of a man who smells of arrogance and an agenda. Everything he does comes with a larger manifesto than logic. How would one justify Sehwag's in the ODI squad else wise ? Phasing out, rotations or resting, terms that sound convincing, come with a darker underlying metaphor. Or even the fact that Mohammad Kaif has been relegated to permanent captaincy of the India A team. As much as we accuse Sri Lanka of not being risk-worthy, Indian cricket is still lying in the same mosquito pond ! Quite unfortunate, indeed.
Call them goofuses or buffoons or anything else...selectors won't change. They are here to destroy the system, and till they achieve that or come close to doing it, the strings wont be chopped.
Atapattu's statement must be taken in the holistic aspect and not by the words or the adjectives used in them. The way cricket is administered in all sub-continental countries provides an ideal breeding ground for these clowns to emerge higher than they ever would. If Sri Lanka has an Asantha de Mel, India's answer to the clown would be Dilip Vengsarkar or even Pakistan has a Salahuddin. But, the situation in Sri Lanka is even more crass, because the Minister pokes his dirty hands in selection, not that, this never happens in either of the two countries mentioned above.
Atapattu's inclusion for the tour of Australia is itself an interesting case. A man who was practicing hard with the 'A' team before leaving for England to play a handful of games for Lashings against Village teams, was somewhere a stark contradiction to what top cricketing nations look for in terms of form. Sri Lankan cricket is somewhere a reflection of a stagnant system, not willing to take risks at apt times. Has there ever been a transition period in Sri Lanka's cricketing history ? Not that one is aware of. But, in those terms, Sri Lanka have been blessed with talented incumbents to replace the old guards. But today, there is a massive crack in the system, where a minister is more concerned about calling the shots than create a healthy infrastructure for sport in Sri Lanka. And here is the same man, who extended de Mel's duties for one more year. A filthy confrontation that is taking Sri Lankan cricket, 5 years backwards.
So, is Rahul Dravid's omission from the Indian squad against Pakistan. Call it a personal propaganda, or a public fallout or even some damp politics, one might never come up with a satisfactory answer. And, where has Indian cricket seen a man, willing to put his career on the mat, come out in the open and rant about the gross activities that happens at the top ? What prevails in India is a post-independence hangover of embracing the system, than expose it. Dilip Vengsarkar is a great example of a man who smells of arrogance and an agenda. Everything he does comes with a larger manifesto than logic. How would one justify Sehwag's in the ODI squad else wise ? Phasing out, rotations or resting, terms that sound convincing, come with a darker underlying metaphor. Or even the fact that Mohammad Kaif has been relegated to permanent captaincy of the India A team. As much as we accuse Sri Lanka of not being risk-worthy, Indian cricket is still lying in the same mosquito pond ! Quite unfortunate, indeed.
Call them goofuses or buffoons or anything else...selectors won't change. They are here to destroy the system, and till they achieve that or come close to doing it, the strings wont be chopped.
2 comments:
You are right, if cricket as a game loses out to other games, the officials who run it will be the root cause.
As much as blaming the selectors is quite right, I think the board is primarily responsible.. They still have them on an honorary business and one just gets the feeling that the selectors dont have a free wheel in selection matters..
sehwags selection truly comes as a surprise..but i think thats the way Indian cricket will move!
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