Advani’s simplicity stumps cricketers

“And there are no players from Karnataka either,” he looked inquisitively at Azad when the formality of introductions were over.

The BJP Member of the Legislative Council from Delhi took pains to explain to the minister that several Karnataka players Srinath, Prasad, Rahul Dravid were representing the national senior team. “A couple of boys from Gujarat were in the national junior teams,” he explained.

“Is there any India `B’ team as well,” he sought to know. “Only at the domestic level to select the main team for an international tournament,” he was told.

Advani, supposedly the most important and busiest person in the Union Cabinet, surely knows his cricket, nay sports. Although initially he had given only three minutes for the team members to be with him, the minister spent as many as 20 minutes, talking of various things, from the “good-old pentangular cricket tournament of Bombay” to some of “the oldest living cricket personalities.”

“How old is Vijay Hazare ?” he enquired. And when someone from the team said: “G S Ramchand …” the minister interrupted and said:“No .. no. He came much later.” He also wanted to know how Lala Amarnath and Mushtaq Ali were.

“At one time we used to be on top in hockey. Now we have gone down,” he said when the topic turned to Sri Lanka, who got Test recognition only some 17 years ago and are now the world champions. And when Kirti Azad told the minister that while most European countries had several astro-turf grounds, India had only a handful, Advani wanted to know how much an astro-turf would cost. “Almost a crore,” a newsman accompanying the team said.

As the cricketers prepared to leave, the minister enquired whether the team was going to Holland to participate in any tournament. Coach Srikkanth explained that they would be playing a few three-day and one-day games. He then shook hands with every member and wished them `good luck.’

The team members drove out of the North Block, having been won over by the simplicity of the busiest person in the Cabinet.