A cricket fan's request

Anoop Bhaskar

As part of his now famous "Open" policy, Mr. Dalmiya recently had lengthy discussions with the Indian coach and physiotherapist. As a follower of cricket, I too would request Mr. Dalmiya for a more "open" regime, particularly on the following issues:

a) Will Mr. Dalmiya ensure that the selectors use modern telecom facilities - teleconferencing rather than meeting at 5-star hotels.

b) Make public the expenses incurred on hosting these meetings and compare these with the amount spent on coaching for under 15 and under 19s.

c) Explain the rationale for holding an age tournament - under 25?

d) Make public, the company to whom travel arrangements of the Indian cricket team are assigned and the rates charged by this company.

e) Make public the committee in charge of fixing the itineary of domestic matches - international as well as domestic. How come most of the Test matches are played over week days, let's not even talk about the domestic tournaments.

f) Leave aside the talk of globalisation; what are the BCCI's plans to make domestic cricket popular in the country. As a side question, when was the last time he spent a day watching a domestic match.

g) What is being done to upgrade the facilities for spectators, or it does not matter till the money keeps pouring in. Has the BCCI president checked the facilities at the stadium for an international match and compared it with when a domestic match is played.

h) Has he checked the inconsistencies of his selection committee - Mohammad Kaif is good enough to play against Sri Lanka; three months down the line he does not feature in any of the tour matches being played against England. Harvinder Singh tours S Africa, comes back and is not found good enough to be part of any team playing the tour matches against England. The list, it seems, is endless.

i) Why has India the worst record in organising tri-nation series tournaments. Only Pakistan is worse off than us. How come, the last tri-series was conducted in India in ...? when Sri Lanka manages to host one every season?

As the person at the helm of the affairs of Indian cricket you have an opportunity to make a difference - not through excessive commercialization - but by sowing the seeds for a long-term improvement of Indian cricket.

While my heart hopes for optimism, my head points at pessimism. However, if nothing else, India is a country of forgiveness, even Jayalalitha was given a second chance.

Also read:
Report or rip-off -- Faisal Shariff
The gentlemen in question -- Prem Panicker

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