Cricket and Politics

Sourav Ganguly was unceremoniously removed from the national cricket team this week. OK, a player who is a former captain, is removed from the national squad. It created a controversy and rightly so. After all, its not every day that a former captain is removed from the team. That too after two seemingly decent performances in the previous test. I am not going to take sides in this specific issue of excluding Ganguly from the team. But what worries me most is that this issue is being discussed in the wrong alleys. When statements of politicians regarding the cricket team selection appear on the front pages of newspapers, you know that something is not right with the politicians and the media in this country. I was shocked to see the following headline in The Hindu: ‘I am Hurt and Shocked, says Pawar’. When I first saw the headline I wondered what new trouble was an ally (NCP) causing the congress. I was exasperated when I read the article to find that Pawar, our agriculture and welfare minister, was actually referring to Ganguly’s removal from the squad. As if this was not enough, then came the news that the speaker of the Lok Sabha has scheduled a discussion of the selection issue in parliament next week. So much for democracy ! Our parliament has always been behind schedule and a waiting list of bills and discussions have always been maintained. Important issues of national significance have been pending before the House for many months. Crores of rupees of the taxpayer’s money is spent in conducting each session of parliament. And our politicians are finding fantastic ways of efficient use of their time and energy !

And all this is being done for whom? Sourav Ganguly. A man who had been woefully out of form for more than a year and a half now. A man who can’t field and run between the wickets. At this stage of his career he can’t even hope to improve in these areas. Also, it is clear that even if he gets into good form, he will not last till the next world cup. Look at Australia. They dropped Ian Healy soon after he had a fantastic series with the bat and the gloves in South Africa. Healy was near best form of his career, but the selectors looked at the future and we all know how big a contribution to world cricket his successor- Adam Gilchrist- was. Steve Waugh was dropped as Australia captain when he was not in such a bad form with the bat and he was still a hugely inspirational figure within the team and an icon in his country as well as in the cricketing world. I guess the Indian public can learn a few things from observing these facts and behave more maturely.

Its ok for people to have different opinions in issues like these. But if you are a member of parliament then sorry boss, I haven’t elected you to get ‘hurt and shocked’ about the selection of a cricket team. And it’s a shame that the national media (least of all, The Hindu) should encourage such behaviour by giving front page coverage to such idiotic comments.