The Hindu : Srikkanth, as eloquent as his bat used to be

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Jul 16, 2002

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Sport - Cricket

Srikkanth, as eloquent as his bat used to be

By S. Dinakar

Chennai July 15. Krishnamachari Srikkanth, a blithe spirit, loves nothing more than a good laugh. During his playing days too, he invariably managed to put a smile on countless faces as a supreme entertainer.

Yet, he is also someone who would not mince his words if he felt something was not quite right. The former India captain is a rather angry man these days, bothered by the affairs of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA).

And like always, he is not holding back his punches.

In an exclusive interview to The Hindu, here, on Monday, Srikkanth gave vent to his feelings - ``You know there was a time, when men like M.A. Chidambaram and S. Sriraman were at the helm, that it was the best run association in the country. It is not the same now.''

Politics, he says, has taken precedence over cricket. ``Cricket and cricketers are no longer important for the TNCA, elections and votes are. There is so much craze for power, so much craving for it. One election gets over and they start preparing for the next. It is a never-ending cycle and along the way, cricket has been forgotten. The TNCA hardly has any concrete plans for the development of the game in the State.''

He is clearly pained by the fact that the Raja of Palayampatti Shield, the symbol of supremacy in first division cricket, could not be completed last season after the championship was rocked by a controversy regarding `outstation' players. ``It was very sad and does not reflect well on the TNCA. The administrators had to bury their egos for the good of Tamil Nadu cricket, but that did not happen. Similarly, The Hindu Trophy, such a prestigious tournament, had to be discontinued.''

Srikkanth is firm in his belief that the TNCA is not just accountable to the cricketers, but also to the people. ``I feel they owe it to the people. It is because of them that the game survives. But if things continue the same way, I am afraid, there might come a day when the people, the genuine fans, might revolt against the TNCA.''

S. Venkatraghavan and Srikkanth are the most successful cricketers from the State on the international arena, yet, Srikkanth reveals they are not wanted by the TNCA. ``The TNCA does not require us because we are frank and forthright in our views. We have both led the country, we are willing to contribute, but we do not own any club or a team. Today, if somebody owns a team, then he becomes the most important person in the TNCA.

``It does not matter whether these persons know cricket or not. Just to appease them, they are appointed in the various State selection panels. Tell me how can cricket survive here?,'' Srikkanth is breathing fire.

Again, he gets back to the `vote culture'. ``You see, we have these proxy votes in the TNCA, that often have a price tag attached to them. What does all this suggest?

`Do away with elections'

In fact, Srikkanth is all for doing away with the elections. ``Why do you need these elections at all? We should have a system where certain qualified persons are nominated to the posts, like the CEOs of professional companies. It is vital that former cricketers look after the cricketing side of the TNCA. The administrative aspect can be left to the others.''

He observes that the cricketers of the State, former and present, should get together and present a united front. ``The time has come for all of us to bury our egos and differences and take on the challenges together. The players are being exploited. It should not happen in the future.''

In fact, with the various factions playing havoc in the TNCA, it is the cricketers who often get caught in the crossfire. Srikkanth explains, ``The players, under these circumstances, try to stay on the right side of the faction in power. God save them if they were on the other side. The classic example is that of Sadagopan Ramesh. He had a good tour of Sri Lanka, but has not played for India since because there was hardly any support for him from the State.''

The cricketers should climb the ladder on the strength of their ability and talent alone, and not because they represented a certain team. ``You know, during my first three years in the first division, I turned out for an unglamorous club called the Freelancers. Yet, that did not prevent me from getting picked in the various sides and eventually making my mark. The scenario is different these days.''

The absence of a single cricketer from Tamil Nadu in the Indian side, both in Tests and ODIs, leaves him anguished. ``We have the finest infrastructure in the country, there is talent, but where are the results? Look at Karnataka. The facilities offered to players there can hardly match what is made available for cricketers in Tamil Nadu. But Karnataka has produced so many more India stars. The former cricketers are in charge there and they are doing a wonderful job.''

Srikkanth remains an optimist though and does see light at the end of the tunnel. ``It is possible, but we will have to make a fresh beginning.'' Tamil Nadu cricket has to pick itself off the mat, and it's not going to be easy.

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