A new twist to the controversy surrounding the Wankhede Stadium pitch for the fifth and final one-day international between India and South Africa has perhaps nailed a lie that those in charge of making the pitch for the match did not receive instructions on the type of surface to be prepared.
It was revealed to The Hindu by a top source in the BCCI Ground and Pitch Committee on Wednesday that instructions were indeed conveyed to Ramesh Mamunkar (BCCI certified curator) that a “slow pitch that would assist the spinners” should be prepared for last Sunday’s match. In fact, Mamunkar was told that the guideline for all the five matches was a slow turner.
“Daljit Singh’s (Chairman-North) instructions were conveyed to Mamunkar on October 3 (three weeks before the last ODI at the Wankhede). Daljit also spoke to Mamunkar,’’ said a senior BCCI official following the infuriating issue that has caused a spat between India team director Ravi Shastri and the MCA curator Sudhir Naik.
What transpired though was a super flat track, prepared at the behest of a senior MCA official, and South Africa scored a record 438 for four after the visiting captain A.B.de Villiers called correctly at the toss. Apparently the South Africans were delighted that a “South African pitch akin to the one at Wanderers’’ was rolled out for the match. India was unable to chase down such a mammoth total and lost the series 2-3.
Shastri’s furious tauntShastri was riled that the Ground & Pitch Committee guidelines was not followed by the MCA curators. “I was standing at the first floor railing at the end of the first innings and as Sudhir (Naik ) appeared below, I clapped and told him what a great pitch it was and well done,” Shastri told The Hindu . It was a mere taunt that conveyed Shastri’s feelings at that point in time.
People within earshot said that Shastri made a scathing observation that did not go down well with the 70-year-old former India Test opener. Hurt by the alleged foul language used by Shastri, Naik has taken up the matter with the MCA.
He has also told the MCA that “whenever international matches are held, they get a message from the BCCI (Team Management) at least 10 or 12 days in advance about their requirements. This time we did not get any message and so we prepared a good batting track.’’
Naik has also questioned the right of India’s bowling coach Bharat Arun to interfere with their authority. In a hard-hitting letter addressed to the senior office-bearers of the MCA, Naik has said: “I would like to ask the management who is Mr. Bharat Arun Kumar and what right has he got to fire my assistant? His job is to coach Indian team bowlers. He was trying to interfere with our job. We have a complaint against Mr. Bharat Arun Kumar. He was after my assistant Mr. Ramesh Mamunkar and was coaxing him to put water on the pitch.
“On the day of the match he started firing him saying, “You don’t listen to me, I have been calling you since yesterday night. Why aren’t you receiving my call?’’’
The one-page letter signed by Naik and Mamunkar, a copy of which is in possession of The Hindu , narrates the sequence of events that took place after South Africa amassed 438 for four.
“The match started and during the interval (after the first innings was over) Mr. Ravi Shastri said to me: “Well done, Sudhir, very good wicket,” to which I said thanks. Then he abused me and went to the dressing room.”
Late intimationNaik further says: “Two days before the match, we got the message that they (Indian team) want a turning wicket. (The) wicket was already prepared hard with good binding. Whatever possible to do now was done, like watering, cutting of grass at zero level and very little rolling. The team management wanted us to water only the good length area one day before the match. We, as curators, felt it’s not advisable as two shades will be seen. Also the BCCI curator, Mr. Dhiraj Parsana, advised us not to put water.’’
Both Naik and Mamunkar have said that “such trends will spoil the harmony between State Associations and BCCI.’’
Naik has asked the MCA to reprimand the Indian team’s director Ravi Shastri and Bharat Arun.
The MCA managing committee is expected to consider Naik and Mamunkar’s letter in “any other matter with permission of the chair” item of the agenda because the meeting convened for October 30 is mainly to take a view on the MCA Twenty20 league which has been put off by a year.
Sources said two former first class cricketers from Mumbai and Karnataka have made a proposal with an estimated expenditure of around Rs. 6.7 crore. It’s not known whether president Sharad Pawar would chair the meeting.
Without specifically commenting on the quarrel between Naik and Shastri, former Mumbai captain Shishir Hattangadi told The Hindu : “If you don’t make use of home conditions to suit your team’s strength, it conveys the complete lack of communication between the team management and the host association.
“It’s then that you start questioning intent (of the host association) as against team interest. To say that none of the former cricketers did not want home friendly conditions during their playing days, is like selling ice to the Eskimo.
“Any disagreement or debate or issues such as this should be done and dusted at the ground itself and not taken to the next level because nothing constructive comes out of this.”
