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Journalism of Courage
There were ideas galore, suggestions were noted, but very little movement forward. For the routine exercise conducted by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Monday provided no direction to what happens next.
As the Ranji Trophy captains and coaches conclave provided a forum for all parties, there was no promise on action to be taken. Instead now, like the last time, the suggestions offered will travel a number of channels before it is implemented.
‘‘Its a procedure and we have to follow it,’’ commented BCCI secretary SK Nair .
Indeed the wide range of suggestions offered are a repeat of what was suggested last year and most of them have not been acted upon and some have even been shot down by the BCCI’s various committees.
A few new ideas were added to the basket but the BCCI are just not yet ready to confirm if they are willing to act upon them.
For starters the toss used as a criteria to decide winners between Services and Himachal in the Plate Division semifinal was a hot topic discussed. Persistent rain meant that the spin of the coin was the only way to decide the winner and Services were lucky. But despite bringing up this point, no participant offered any alternative to this issue. It was broadly decided that toss should not be a criteria a winner.
One suggestion though seems to be coming back and forth and that relates to the increase in the league stages from four to five days. Last time when it was brought up the Sunil Gavaskar-led technical committee dismissed it, but it has come up yet again. Umpiring proved to be a sore point yet again and it will continue to be because the standard has just not improved despite the BCCI’s efforts. New attempts are now being made to attract former cricketers to take umpiring but its an exercise attempted before.
One good news though was the overall consensus on major irritant from previous seasons. The quality of pitches got a pat on the back and there was no ‘‘major complaint’’ which certainly provided a relief to the BCCI officials.
SOME SUGGESTIONS
• If a player gets selected in the National team for the home series and if he is not included into the playing eleven, then he should be relieved to play for his State instead of being a mere spectator in the dressing room
• Coloured clothing and white balls should be used in the Deodhar Trophy one-day tournament
• Schedule calendar in such a way that it does not clash with corporate tournaments involving players’ employers
• Make the one-day tournament a league cum knock-out rather than present format of plain knock-out
