Shut up and go, please!

It's bad enough that it has been established beyond a reasonable doubt that you fixed matches. (So what if it can't be proved in the court of law. Many things can't be proved in the court of law. Or else, there'd be no criminal lawyers.) Sold your souls to the devil. Made complete asses of the legions that worshipped you. Took us for a royal ride. Debased the very game that made you what you are. And now this!

How does Sachin not making more than you when he was captain mean you didn't give 100 per cent? We all saw the callous way in which you threw your wicket away. Not once, not twice... not even thrice. But on more occasions than you deserved to be forgiven for. In Australia, when you were captain. In South Africa when Sachin was captain. In the World Cup semi-final when you were captain. (Is it just a strange co-incidence that Kapil too threw his wicket away, and into the waiting hands of Mike Gatting in the 1987 Reliance Cup semi-final?) In India when you were, God knows why, given yet another chance to redeem yourself in the last home series against the South Africans. (Worse, just as soon as you had made your hundred, to a shot you never were really good at and at a time when India was trying to save the match. But then, now we know how little you cared about such things.) In the West Indies when Sachin was captain. In... point is do you still expect us to believe you gave more to the team cause than Sachin? You must live on a different planet.

Next, how does no conclusive evidence prove you were not involved in match-fixing? Only an insider could have broken the story to the world. What happened to the 'jump' in your bowling after you were suspended for 'suspiciously' slow batting in that one-dayer against the Windies? Where did all that aggression go when you realized you didn't matter as much in the scheme of things? Where did all that undisclosed income, suddenly, come from? Why does the same CBI that you so vehemently argued to be brought into the case now become 'wrong' in pointing one of the 'fixing' fingers squarely at you? Why should we not believe Mr. Madhavan, whose findings match with those of the CBI's? Why ... ever mind. Guess, you can't quite get over the shock of seeing the whole thing you so self-righteously claimed to 'expose' blow up in your face, did you?

And boy, are we to believe more phone calls than can ever be justified were made by 'just another' well-wisher? And why should this insanely obsessive 'well wisher' be a bookie? Why could he have been... say, one of your numerous female fans? Why shouldn't we believe the oh-so-obvious attempts you have made to pull all kinds of strings are the acts of a guilty man? What makes you think your, now so sadly wasted talents, are wanted back in the team? You think we can't see through your pathetically inarticulate attempts to wriggle out of this unforgivable crime? (We know how articulate you can be. And we're also smart enough, now, to understand why all that articulateness has deserted you.) What makes all the mountain of evidence nothing vis-à-vis your so blatantly defensive 15-page report? Where ... let me put it this way, just let it go!

No sirs, enough is enough. Please don't take us for a ride anymore. And don't you dare point those dirty fingers at just about anyone in your field of vision. Be thankful you guys have been let off lightly. Because the fact of the matter is, the punishment for selling your country ought to be a lot more than the relative rap on the knuckles you guys have been given. Please take the dignified way out and do a 'Paaji' for us. Sure, not everyone has been punished as yet. But that still doesn't mean you have any right to be absolved. No, you will not be given another chance to vitiate the atmosphere. This is a team with a bunch of young and impressionable talent. Most of all, this is a team. Not the 'private gambling club' you guys made it into. Please, please go!

ps. The names have been concealed to protect the guilty. (Admittedly, not very well.)

Avinash Subramaniam

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