Or is it BCCI's temporary stance?
The other day - a week or so back - my father and I were on another of our afternoon, post-lunch discussion about one of the three inevitables of our desh: cricket. And he did opine that if anyone must be made captain of Indian test team, it must be Anil Kumble. The logic: well, he's had a long, faithful and earnest career, the only blemishes being those overstays in the middle with his bat when team-thinktanks had delusions that he can bat in the slog overs and a lot of hot air capable of inflating zeppelins into high-altitude places flowed between his misses and the keeper's gloves. The only thing he hasn't had is captaincy. Inwardly I cursed my father: 'why do we need to heap that insult on Indian cricket's only true sportsman and on-field player?' Of course, BCCI must have heard my father's wish and not my un-wish. Anil today is the captain.
Now of course, when every dog has his day and unrequired comebacks or retentions in the team inspite of sustained and consistent non-performances, why not Anil! He has even scored that enviable comedy of a century that put the smiles back on a dressing room full of gloom in England recently. He has batted, bowled, fielded off fours and taken catches. As Kris Srikant recently told in his own inimitable idiotic way on Times Now late-night immediate reaction to Anil Kumble being made captain of Indian Test Team, he's a South Indian and even a qualified engineer (meaning he's got a degree...)!
And our - my father and mine - discussion proved meaningful in the aftermath. But... to what end? Being captain of Karnataka as well as now of India has only been by default. Has he deserved it? I mean, these days, being captain of a team in India is not earning accolades. It means an insult. The clowns who run the richest and most sinful organisation in the world pick someone only because someone else is not ready. Anil Kumble is the clown king till the crown prince gets ready. Anil deserved it much before. Of course, the stoic soldier he is, he will strive his best, without as much as a monosyllabic ayes or nahs.
But, my heart bleeds for him.
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4 comments:
What can I sir KK apart from the fact that "I concur." A great fan of Anil myself, in the immediate fount of reactions ensuing his appointment as captian, I was delighted(your father's wish). But then - and now with your post - I feel that it is indeed an insult (your un-wish!) to one of India's finest cricketers, if not sportspersons.
And btw... "post-lunch discussion" I think is intended as "... discussions!" - second line of the post.
Cheers!
Correction accepted, Grammarian. And btw, I am starting become a big fan of ICL. I am contemplating and assimilating facts and my thoughts for a post. I think personally, IPL is nothing but old wine in new bottle. In the 70s, so-called current stars like Sunil Gavaskar and the ilk have played for the Mafatlals and Nirlons and Venkatraghavan had played for IP etc etc... thus the staking of pvt parties to buy out IPL teams is nothing of a new idea, while I think what ZEE is doing with ICL is a bold step. One company owning 6 teams and distributing across key cricketing centres to spread the game and provide the subaltern cricketers of domestic nature and resurrect the financial careers of bemused and discarded internationals is a huge step in egalitarianism. What say?
Couldn't agree more (sir) KK! Even if for someone who does not follow the game keenly, BCCI's attempt to set up a league of its own at best looks like a belated imitation (stemming from fear) and probably more like a parody. Just goes to show again that creativity at organisational levels cannot be patented and those with the greater buck can unabashedly make it their own and even celebrate it with a usurped license.
As an aside: I am no Grammarian. I just pointed out something you overlooked, probably in a hurry!
Cheers!
Dear (sir) KK,
A cricket post from my side after a very long time: will be glad to have your views!
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