Jhakas | Sanjay Jha
The popular poster-boy of Indian cricket not long ago, was in an unprecedented move, sent packing back home from South Africa , ostensibly to “ regain form” by playing two Ranji Trophy matches commencing shortly in India. Rather peculiar , I thought, as he would have in any case been home to play the final game after the end of the tour. Essentially, the Indian think-tank comprising of captain Rahul Dravid, coach Greg Chappell, and chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar have made such a big hullabaloo, hype and hoopla all about sending the Baroda all-rounder ( ?) for playing just one extra-first class match. Does it really make rational, smart, intelligent motivational sense at the fag end of the overseas trip?
Sure, Pathan has been acutely struggling, his once fiery spirit replaced by self-doubt and drooping shoulders, and growing realization that he had become gradually marginalized in the game-plan of the fickle Team India bosses. Continue reading below
The immediate cause for his dramatic sacking seems to have been his wayward spell against a provincial team costing 74 runs in a wicket-less spell of 11 overs. Agreed the young man seems to have lost that magical touch momentarily, but once the selectors have announced a full-fledged team for the complete tour, how can the team management summarily make such ridiculous, self-styled, arbitrary decisions? This defies conventional wisdom and makes a comprehensive mockery of team selection.
Let me ask you, how would you feel if you were Pathan today, being asked to forcibly leave the prestigious honour of representing your national team when on a big tour ?
At the time of selection not so long ago he was one of our brightest hopes, right? And a few weeks later, we unceremoniously dump him in the name of “ performance “ and “ accountability”?
By the latter logic, shouldn’t the same yardstick be applied to other players as well? Frankly, shouldn’t Sachin Tendulkar by that distorted assessment be headed for Chattrapati Shivaji International Airport? But honestly speaking, will that be fair justice to the Little Master ?
And besides demotivating Pathan, can you imagine the fear psychosis and insecurities this will breed on all Indian players every time they have a lean patch, which is an inevitable aspect of the game’s character?
So does the act of carrying drinks and sitting on the bench should now be seen as the first step towards irrelevance and being axed from the squad? Aren’t players supposed to get their inspiration and encouragement from their final playing squad by being part of team proceedings even if they are not on the 22 yard pitch themselves?
Can’t one single inning or spell often mark the beginnings of a solid return to form? Isn’t confidence and self-belief often created by backing the valiant horse even the chips are down?
Frankly, won’t the adverse, negative media publicity and public perception actually humiliate the player rather than make him feel charged up for a rejuvenating resurrection?
Perhaps the biggest farce in the Pathan episode is that he is a willing victim of the mindless experimentation of the Greg Chappell-Rahul Dravid combine. From being made to bat like a sledgehammer at no 3, up to playing a sheet-anchor opener, then asked to reduce speed for tactical reasons in his bowling , and being put under undue pressure as India’s first emerging genuine all-rounder in the Kapil Dev league, it was perhaps natural that the vulnerable 22 year old would soon head for a catastrophic collapse.
I remember writing that Irfan Pathan’s career would be tragically reduced to doldrums when Greg Chappell talked publicly during the West Indies tour in the media about his “ mental problems” and referred him to his constant buddy Dr Rudi Webster for psychological help. It was in poor taste and lacked professional grace and confidentiality.
The truth is that Pathan has been sadly humiliated today, but no one ( certainly not Dravid) is talking about the real reasons responsible for this unfortunate episode. Once again, Greg Chappell will get away with day-light murder, with Irfan Pathan being the innocuous guinea-pig who could not survive Chappell’s laboratory expertise.
I don’t know whether you all noticed, but immediately following our historic win in the Johannesburg Test match, the first man to rush to media to give full-length full-page media interviews was Greg Chappell. Forever ready to take credit, as for failures there is always someone to blame. From Sourav Ganguly, VVS Laxman to Zaheer Khan. A scapegoat is in constant attendance for Mr Chappell.
Irfan Pathan has become India’s first "official bakra (goat) of Indian cricket". Lamb chops, Mr Chappell?
