Spiralling lies and silent selectors

The ignorant believe in lies, the gullible in half truths. The wise are indifferent and the clever know how to exploit. The environment i...

The ignorant believe in lies, the gullible in half truths. The wise are indifferent and the clever know how to exploit. The environment is conducive for cynicism to spread its fangs and let the corrupt escape scot-free. No, one is not talking about the great Indian tamasha8217; going by the name of midterm polls. One is talking about the latest episode of the Indian A team8217;s selection, Mr Ajit Wadekar8217;s goof-ups, the pitiable silence of selectors who are being made redundant and don8217;t have the courage to even protest, and the great monolith called the BCCI, whose only priority is marketing and globalisation of the game. Rake in the moolah even if it means the death of Indian cricket.

The bizarre drama being enacted by the chairman of the selection committee, Mr Wadekar, in changing the India and India A team in Singapore without consulting his colleagues, selecting a player whose place was not secure even in his state team and subsequently replacing him, may have few parallels even in the scandal-riddenhistory of the Indian Board. And after having embarrassed himself and the entire cricketing establishment, Mr Wadekar would like us to believe that the culprits in the Mithun Manhas episode were the scribes and not himself.

It is possible that the scribes in Singapore, who quoted Wadekar and the board secretary Mr Jaywant Lele better known as Mr Denial8217; in journalistic circles, may have misunderstood both. It is also possible that the Board and the selectors were so preoccupied that they did not deem it fit to correct that mistake immediately and allowed Mithun to attend a camp in Delhi for a day. And it is also possible that the man who made the coloured clothing of the team had gone by the newspaper reports and printed Manhas8217; name on the back of a few shirts by mistake. The kit which Manhas8217; replacement, Ashish Nehra got, had Manhas8217; name written on the shirts.Even this could be a mistake. But on whose door will Mr Wadekar lay the blame for having selected the senior squad for Toronto when the teamhad not even played in Singapore! Perhaps it was once again the fault of the scribes who revealed the team when the board would have liked it to be known to the public one week later, after the Singapore leg of the carnival was over.

Or do we believe those who say Mr Wadekar was keen to get over with the selection as early as possible, as otherwise he would have had to forgo his trip to Singapore? After all, everything is possible when those in power are honest and committed and have the good of the game and those who play it in mind! The only culprits are the disgruntled journalists8217; who want to give Indian cricket a bad name and don8217;t appreciate the great8217; achievements of the team. And the achievements of the Indian board are many. They are wizards at marketing and globalising the game. One day the wares are on display at Galle, the next day in Colombo, after that in Singapore and then Toronto, then Nairobi and then 8230; The circus goes on.

Their latest achievement is to arrange a five-match jamboreein Los Angles, that too without the top stars of the game. It defies understanding. Why should an Indian A side be playing an Australian A side in America and not nearer home, or in a cricket playing nation, unless it suits the sponsor-promoter of the tournament through whom the Board or a few of its members stand to gain something.

But why get into this debate of truth, lies and concerns. Sit back, relax and watch the action live from Los Angeles. This time on AXN TV.

PRADEEP MAGAZINE, who begins his fortnightly column on cricket, can be reached at pradeepmagazineexpress2.indexp.co.in