Big question: Will Sachin get his day out with the media?

The BCCI may want the players to get media savvy, and may even hire outside help to that purpose, but it appears that the message falls shor...

The BCCI may want the players to get media savvy, and may even hire outside help to that purpose, but it appears that the message falls short of one person: Sachin Tendulkar.

Under the Board’s new system, one player is fielded before the media every day. While most senior players — including skipper Saurav Ganguly and his deputy Rahul Dravid — have had their turn, and so have coach John Wright, trainer Greg King and physio Andrew Leipus, Sachin hasn’t had his day out. Nor, indeed, is he likely to. ‘‘He may not’’, said BCCI media manager Amrit Mathur. ‘‘Why should he, let the juniors take the stage for once.’’

However, the matter may not be as simple as that. It is learnt that the Mumbaikar — who is rarely accessible to the media — is wary of meeting reporters and leaving himself open to grilling over the Ferrari controversy.

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The fact that Sachin hasn’t yet met the press is something reporters have been throwing at Ramesh, the local manager of the Indian team here, at almost every opportunity. ‘‘I have spoken to him and he does not want to talk as he feels the media may ask him questions only about the Ferrari issue’’, revealed Ramesh.

It would be a pity — and a blow to the BCCI’s glasnost — if Sachin is kept away from the media. As the greatest batsman of his generation, there is much more to answer for, and talk about, than a steel machine.

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