Pakistanis display better fighting spirit: Thackeray

The barb that took the cake was his reasoning on Indians failing to claim gold medals at the Olympics. “Once an Indian won a gold medal at an Olympics. On his return to the country, he was detained by the customs authorities for carrying gold!The Olympian pleaded that it was only the gold medal but to no avail, resulting in the poor athlete being penalised. Since then every Indian is wary of the gold medal for he thinks he might end up paying extra duty at the customs office.”

Though he continued with his anti-Pakistan stance of not allowing any cricketer from the neighbouring country to play in Mumbai, he was all praise for their fighting spirit.’ “The Pakistanis are guts personified when they play a cricket match, especially against India. But the same cannot be said about our players,” he opined. “It wasn’t the case earlier. Our past cricketers use to take pride in representing the country. Now, cricket has become a business where players take more pride in displaying logos which affects their performances on the field.”

For one who relishes the Tests, Thackeray felt one-dayers have taken the charm out of the game. “A certain (Kerry) Packer has been responsible for the sport’s commercialisation. Cricketers have become publicitycrazy,” he said.

Commenting on the heroics of Sunil Gavaskar, who faced the West Indian fast bowlers with aplomb, he even flayed the usage of helmets, elbow pads, thigh pads etc. “The day is not far off when batsmen would start wearing armours. The game has become too mechanical,” he said.

Taking a trip down memory lane, he dwelt upon the days when he used to commute in the local train with Naren Tamhane, Madhav Mantri, the late Ramakant Desai and Bapu Nadkarni, how he used to bribe the guard at the Brabourne Stadium to watch cricket matches. “Corruption has been prevalent since long,” he added in a jocular vein. “I never thought I would attain such a status,” he remarked during his nostalgic voyage.

He exhorted the present generation cricketers to inculcate the discipline, determination and the self-less dedication exhibited by the likes of Mantri, Nadkarni, Gavaskar and Sachin Tendulkar.

Ridiculing the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) selection policies, Thackeray thundered:“We have had enough of the Rungtas and Dungarpurs. Their policies of pleasing every region have affected many talented cricketers. Praveen Amre, Vinod Kambli, and Rahul Dravid provide some glaring examples. It is time cricketers who have played the game at the highest level are made in-charge. The quota system is prevalant as in politics. It should be done away with.”

It led to Ghotoskar asking him whether he would like to head the BCCI. “Not in the present circumstances,” he replied.

When Wadekar sought an opinion on players joining politics, Thackeray said, “there are no restrictions. But my advice would be that cricketers shouldn’t lose whatever fame they earned by joining politics.”The chat-show was a prelude to the Saamna’s u-14 cricket tournament that gets under way tomorrow.