The politics of silence
Prem Panicker in Bangalore
If silence is golden, then the Board of Control for Cricket in India is our answer to King Midas.
Why? Because every single thing the Board touches goes silent.
On Monday, I was wandering around the nets at the M Chinnaswamy
Stadium in Bangalore, where the probables -- and some improbables --
were taking part in the coaching camp. At that time, the players were
easy, relaxed, friendly; they chatted, they responded positively to
requests for sit-down interviews and suggested we meet in their hotel
rooms later in the evening.
Then the team was announced. And suddenly, no one would talk. Not just
about the Asia Cup, mind you -- silence, as far as the Indian team
players are concerned, is not only golden, it is also total.
"Arre yaar, I don't have a problem talking to you, but I'll probably be
chucked out of the side for it," says that friendliest of cricketers,
Ajay Jadeja. "As it is, the Board is merely looking for an excuse...."
Excuse for what? "I can' talk about that, too," grins Jadeja.
Okay, fine, can you talk of matters non-cricketing? Like, can you ask
Anil Kumble about the cricket CDs his software company has released
lately? "No, sorry, not allowed to talk," says the Indian vice
captain. "Not about anything at all."
So you figure, heck, let's talk to Joshi, Dodda Ganesh and such about
their experiences in South Africa, in the West Indies. Ooops, no dice
-- "The contract says we cannot speak to the media for three months
after a tour," comes the response.
Great! Given that these days there is just about a week, 10 days
between tours and tournaments, what the Board has done is effectively
ensure the players cannot talk, period!
This, when we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of Indian
Independence -- which brought with it, or so I am told, the right to
free speech. Apparently, while the rest of the country is free of the
shackles of outside rule, our cricketers are still in the thrall of
the BCCI.
Fine, there are other people I could be speaking to, I figure. I
call Hosmat, the prestigious medical centre in Bangalore, and ask for
Dr Thomas Chandy, one of the world's leading specialists in sports
medicine.
"Is this about Javagal Srinath?" comes the counter query.
"Yes, among other things."
"Sorry, I can't talk about that," says the doctor. "Anything
general, yes, but not about Srinath or any other Indian player."
Oh? Why not?
"Well," says the doctor, "a couple of weeks ago I had spoken
to a national weekly about rotary cuff injuries and what they mean. In
course of the article Srinath's case was mentioned, and since then we
have had calls and mail from the BCCI asking us not to discuss such
matters with the media!"
But what authority has the BCCI got over Hosmat, I wonder.
The answer comes from the facility's PRO, Dinesh Mahadevan: "Well,
see, we are hoping to work with the Karnataka State Cricket
Association and its players, so we wouldn't want to rock the boat...."
The long arm of the BCCI, I realise, extends everywhere. And that arm
holds a gag which applies to everybody.
Ever wondered just what lies behind the clampdown? Just what the BCCI
is afraid of?
Srinath's woes
Javagal Srinath is one unhappy individual, these days.
For the last three days, he has been turning up at the stadium at 7
am, to join the Indian probables in their warm-up exercises. He then
takes breakfast with the team, and leaves the ground without taking
further part in the proceedings.
"The exercise routine is good for me," says the Indian pace ace. "So I
come here in the morning to join in."
How does the routine jell with his prescribed physiotherapy? "The
trainer (Tej Kishan Kaul) knows about my injury, so he does not make
me do some of the overarm exercises that could hamper my recovery,"
says Srinath.
And how is the recovery process going, after the operation? Srinath --
who, even as he speaks, uses a long fibre rope, the ends of which he
twists around his palms and uses for exercising his shoulders and
hands -- is reluctant to discuss details, saying merely that his
shoulder feels fine now, and he hopes to be match fit by September.
Interestingly, Ramakant Desai told me on Monday that Srinath will be
considered for selection only after September's Toronto Cup, and that
too after he proves himself in domestic competition.
"I have not made any specific plans about my comeback," says Srinath.
"My doctors have told me I will be fully fit again in a couple of
months. After that, we'll see...."
There is a note of wistfulness as he speaks. And even as he talks to
me, Srinath's eyes constantly wander back to the ground, where his
erstwhile strike partner Venkatesh Prasad and the other bowlers are
warming up.
"Yes, I miss being with the side," Srinath says in response to a
question. "I was bowling well when my shoulder problems began. I miss
the excitement of playing for India, I am looking forward to coming
back again."
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