Jhakas | Sanjay Jha
Sunil Gavaskar , our perennial headlines grabbing discovery, finds it difficult to keep his mouth shut. It has been a chronic problem, usually self-inflicted with an orchestrated objective. Sunny bhai is a smart cookie who can anticipate wind pattern changes by even the subtle shift of his handkerchief in the summer breeze. Having seen frenzied nationalism from Kolkota to Kerala and Chandigarh to Cochin provoked by the Harbhajan Singh Monkeygate affair , when we Indians reminded ourselves of history lessons about the Quit India movement, Sunny bhai has quickly doubled up, and realized that the easiest way to rise up the popularity charts is to appear a tragic victim of prejudiced policies of the dubious white man. Nothing sells these days in India more than a patriotic clarion call for self-respect, national honour etc etc. Everyone is joining this arrogant bandwagon with a tricolor fluttering atop. . Drum beating jingoism works wonders. After all, the " outsider conflict" gets you instant TRPs. And by bashing Australia and England in one delectable sweep stroke by calling them as toothless tyro Rex of the Jurassic park variety , he snuggles endearingly onto the top brass of BCCI. It's pretty cosy out there. And with Sharad Pawar soon to take over as ICC President, frankly, Sunny bhai would care a damn. Let the party begin.
The ICC's decision to ask him to make a clear choice ( as of now everything is in the realm of fanciful speculation) seems a rather delayed move, as frankly, Sunny bhai has been having the cake, eating it too, and worse, creating his own chocolate factory with the residual raw material for several years . If chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar cannot write columns, if Indian coaches are questioned over IPL contracts, if senior Indian cricketers cannot say " Ouch, he hurts!" in public space, , how can a man who represents ICC criticize it's own institution and personnel, take pot-shots at all and sundry, write it in a column ( and get paid for it) and then also represent the enervated body against some of it's own members? Frankly, it's a no-brainer. What's the big deal, folks? It is juvenile trash. Gavaskar has got away so far because the ICC is an incompetent body run by professional nincompoops who are remote managed by power-drunk , cash-suffused supercilious maniacs in BCCI. That explains why Sunny bhai of course, walks around with the air of archetypal sanctimonious arrogance. There are rules and rules for everyone. But Sunny bhai is sacrosanct. Continue reading below
If you have followed Gavaskar's track record closely you will observe that he has got away with blue murder on innumerable occasions, and yet for a man of his towering reputation, he has had no compunction or conscience in hurriedly piping down whenever someone has dared to challenge his jaundiced opinions. Note his abject meek surrender when he made those repugnant , pedestrian remarks on the late David Hooke's just before the World Cup last year, which had even his loyal fan club cringing with disbelief bordering on embarrassment. . He indulged in an unwarranted war of words with Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting, and was made to look churlish and foolish on April 28th 2007 when the Australians lifted the World Cup, contrary to Sunny's wise predictions.
Sunny Bhai has taken regular digs at all things remotely alien to his personal philosophy The only one who has escaped his ire is perhaps Angelina Jolie. Let's take the Steve Bucknor incident or the Mike Proctor accusations that he made during the recent controversial series ; given his ICC role, he violated basic ethics, notwithstanding merit and logical accuracy if any, in his arguments. He was clearly relishing the pseudo-nationalism wave , and as a TV commentator felt compelled to raise it to a raging crescendo. That was not just a " conflict of interest"; it was lousy professionalism, as he represented an important arm of the ICC. . A glaring lapse of principles. Frankly, he should have quit the ICC forthwith right then and there , as a matter of self-respect and national prestige if he felt that the ICC is a camouflaged racist body, and spoken fearlessly as a media spokesman. That would have drawn bigger attention to his ( and India's and Asia's) cause as opposed to making sarcastic comments in syndicated columns two months later .The ICCs tattered reputation has been further tarnished by Gavaskar's damnations. Not on, Sunny! Especially as he has enjoyed ICC's august hospitality with perceptible comfort.
But the more pertinent question that no one is asking ; why this big pandemonium over Sunil Gavaskar's future role as the cricket committee chairman? What has Sunil Gavaskar really done for improving cricket administration or playing conditions and rules during his long stint ? What path-breaking valuable changes has he really introduced? Nothing much , to be precise. In the 8 long years that he has been happily ensconced in that ceremonial abode, the game has seen ham-handed efforts at amelioration. Even the US President can change every four years, so why should Mr Gavaskar be anointed as an Emperor -in-perpetuity? Are we saying that of the several other international cricketers , there are no other sane intelligent voices with an innovative mind and cricketing sense who can perform this cherished task?
There were hardly any noteworthy changes worth writing home about during the last few years. An additional Powerplay? Wow! Eureka, man! Or that goofy 12th man concept ( frankly, I preferred that silly experiment to the 3rd Powerplay). Or that free-hit of a no-ball which penalizes a bowler, while the batsman swashbuckles, and the crowd roars , anticipating blood. It's like a bull-fight in those few seconds when a rebuked humiliated bowler runs up to save himself further mortification. A mandatory ball-change at the end of 30 odd overs. Utter rubbish stuff. The complex role of the third umpire and the match referee has only compounded matters. Is this Mr Sunil Gavaskar's great success story as the cricket committee chairman? .
And isn't Sunny bhai there in ICC from time immemorial because the powers that be want to constantly keep the Indian camp placated? Otherwise, why should there be stupid statements by BCCI stating that they will fight tooth and nail to ensure that Sunnybhai does not get sacked et al? I could not fathom the connection whatsoever.
Essentially, Gavaskar must make a clear choice, instead of now employing back-room bullying tactics to hold onto both positions that Indian cricket can safely patent as their copyright. Sorry, Sunny bhai! Either you wear your hat or your helmet.
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