|
Initially when the Australians first came to India in 1975, the Indian cricketers were babes with hardly two years of experience under their belts. It was understandable that WCAI might have then opted to invite the second string Australian team. But it is unpardonable if WCAI repeated the same in subsequent years. The New Zealand team that toured India in 1976 was almost the same team that India played in New Zealand in 1977. If the latter series can be treated as official, it defies logic to treat the series played in India as unofficial. It is not made public whether the West Indies series of 1976 and the England series of 1981 played in India have been accorded official test status. The Australian tour of India in 1984, the last series under my captaincy, was definitely an official one as it was the series where India's prolific batsman, Sandhya Agrawal emerged with a bang. After the Indian team's tour of England in 1986 and of Australia in 1991 being accorded official status, it was bewildering to hear of the 1994 Australian tour of India being accorded an unofficial Test status. Players deprived opportunity to better tally As I was the cricket manager of the Indian team at that time, I was informed about this but the reason put forth was unconvincing. The Indian team had to put up a good show, was the reply. After almost 20 years of international cricket, did we have to resort to such methods to prove our mettle? Players like Purnima Rao (who led the Indian one-day squad) were deprived of improving their run tally because of the shortsighted policy of WCAI. This became more obvious when the same Indian team went to New Zealand in 1995 only to win the triangular one-day championship beating the regular Australian team and hosts New Zealand! The whole country was kept in the dark about the unofficial status of the 1994 series. Enough is enough Diana Edulji, the most successful Indian bowler till date, has captured more than 100 wickets in Tests, but will WCAI step in and say why they have deprived her of the actual record by organising unofficial matches? Is there no accountability on WCAI's part for not disclosing vital information? It is high time the truth is published and WCAI cleans its stables. There has to be more transparency in future. I, for one am horrified to give my statistics for fear of letting an impression emerge that statistics are being fabricated. Thank god for small mercies that I still continue to be the first century maker of India because of my century at Dunedin, New Zealand in an official Test in 1977. Will the sleeping giant, WCAI, wake up and act? Better late than never.  1 2
Extras:
World Cup probables grappling in the dark
The game has to be marketed more efficiently
| 
