Shattering, indeed

THE return of Jagmohan Dalmiya to cricket affairs in India coincided with the departure of one of the finest cricket administrators in Madhavrao Scindia. The death of Scindia was shattering to all of us who knew him.

What Indian cricket needs today is a stalwart like Scindia, a man who had cricket in his heart. He was a cricketers' man and from personal experience I can say that he was a rare gem among cricket officials.

The dignity that Scindia brought to the Board was matched by few. I know there have been many presidents of the Board but few had the kind of vision he had. His ideas were modern and he was very quick to realise that it was time to change the attitude of the people who played and conducted the game. He was really a Maharaja who came down to the level of commoners because he loved cricket so much.

I know the present set of office-bearers have taken over at a time when Indian cricket is facing crisis on all fronts. There is a challenge in front of Dalmiya and his team to revitalise Indian cricket, for it has lost its glory in recent times because of inconsistent performances overseas.

The scandals that rocked Indian cricket have taken their toll and it is now time to give the team direction. There is need to bury the differences and push forward the progressive ideas that have been in the pipeline for too long now.

Indian cricket has lost its focus somewhere. The victory at home against Australia was seen as a platform to launch the team into greatness, but then the losses in Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka have been grave setbacks. It is for the new team of administrators to set matters right.

People like Dalmiya and I. S. Bindra have been assets to Indian cricket. They revolutionised the game in the country by making the Board the richest sports body in the country. But I would like them to honestly answer if they have achieved the goals they had set their eyes on.

Dalmiya and Bindra may have had the great quality to raise money and fill the coffers of the Board, but I can't say the same for their cricketing acumen. If it was good, why, pray, I would like to know is India languishing at number eight in the list of 10 nations?

The payments to the players have deservedly increased, but not their cricketing fortunes. To lose repeatedly is not a good sign at all.

From the time when the Board used to go to the sponsors with a bowl, we have come to a stage where the sponsors fawn on the Board. The money earned by the Board through television rights and sponsorship deals is mindblowing, but then it has not succeeded in making Indian cricket any bit professional.

The big question facing the Board today is how many of its officials have the cricketing acumen to tackle the crisis. If they were all so good as they have been claiming, why is it that we have failed to produce four decent, international standard pitches with good bounce? Why do we still have poor infrastructure in most places? Why are we still so fascinated by the foreign element?

We do have qualified coaches and physiotherapists at home. Only they need to be given a chance. I have great faith in Dalmiya because he is such a brilliant administrator but then he would not gain by being surrounded by yes men. He will have to blend his administrative abilities with good cricket plans and he would benefit immensely by involving men of stature like Sunil Gavaskar and Tiger Pataudi.

We have to change the attitude of the Indian cricketer. He must prepare for a match like preparing for war. And I know men like Dalmiya can ensure that the cricketers get what they deserve. It would be a grave folly if he tries to do away with some good plans of the previous set-up headed by A. C. Muthiah.

The Board has made a good start by appointing Gavaskar as the chairman of the National Cricket Academy. It is a step in the right direction but then there are many areas which demand immediate attention and many issues which Dalmiya would do well to address.

I would like the Board to show much more interest in cricketing matters too because swelling the coffers does not mean improving the state of the game. To begin with, the Board will have to take firm steps to erase the monster of regionalism. We should not have a system where a selector strives to only push candidates from his own zone instead of looking at the national interest.

Dalmiya would do a lot of good if he concentrates on improving the infrastructure, especially at the grass root level. You may have your modern stadiums but not at the cost of those small fields where the stars of the future learn their early lessons. The Board should employ the best of coaches at the junior level and also promote a league for the juniors. That is where the talent lies, begging to be recognised.

Another area which Dalmiya should take interest in is domestic cricket. He should make it more competitive by preparing good pitches. The Board should also involve more past cricketers at various levels. I am not against foreign coaches or physiotherapists, but if we have committed and qualified people in India then we should prefer Indians.

And last but not the least is that Dalmiya should allow the Indian team to play only meaningful cricket. Little can be gained by trying to accommodate teams like Bangladesh or Kenya. Players should not be allowed to indulge in too much cricket. The Board should not treat the players like animals.

I can draw a much longer list, but I know the Board will have its own list of priorities ready. My request is cricket, and nothing else, should be on the agenda. As a tribute to Scindia, the Board can take a vow to improve the state of affairs, which currently, look bleak.