I want to quit Delhi says Virender Sehwag

EXCLUSIVE

By Qaiser Mohammad Ali

New Delhi, August 17, 2009 -- Utterly frustrated at rampant interference in selection matters of various Delhi cricket teams, India’s only triple centurion Virender Sehwag on Sunday revealed that he was trying to leave Delhi and play for Haryana in domestic tournaments from the upcoming 2009-10 season.

“I am trying to leave Delhi and play for Haryana. I spoke to the Delhi cricket president, Mr. Arun Jaitley, today (Sunday) and he has asked me to discuss the issue with and then take decision. If I am not convinced and satisfied with the outcome of our meeting I will leave Delhi,” a fuming Delhi Ranji Trophy captain Sehwag told Mail Today in an interview.

Former India skipper Sewhag, the only batsman besides Don Bradman and Brian Lara to have hammered two triple centuries in 132 years of Test cricket, said that the main reason for his frustration was widespread interference from Delhi and District Cricket Association’s (DDCA) sports committee that appoints selection committees.

“There is too much interference and manipulation from the sports committee in selection committees. The sports committee has got too much power. There is more interference at the under-16 and under-19 levels than the Ranji Trophy. In a squad of 15, for instance, the sports committee tries to influence the selectors and slip in one or two of ‘their own’ boys,” he alleged, for the first time on-record.

Sehwag pointed out that some of the selectors gang up and eventually find their way. “In Ranji Trophy selection, it has often happened that that the four other selectors get together and vote for players, leaving the chairman of the committee and me defeated. Especially, when I am on national duty, they put pressure on the other captains and the interference becomes more rampant. This manipulation is going on for many years. What is the point is continuing to play for such an association where there is so much corruption?” he thundered.

“So, if I am not satisfied with the result of the meeting with Mr Jaitley I will leave whether or not DDCA gives me the no objection certificate (NOC). There is a rule that if a player’s parent association harasses a player and doesn’t give him the NOC, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) can,” the 30-year-old batsman said.

Sehwag, who is currently undergoing shoulder rehabilitation in Bangalore, alleged that all DDCA officials were aware of the problem but they have hardly done anything to rectify the situation. “I have told all the top officials. But nothing has been done. The DDCA executive committee has virtually no power. They have no option but to bow to the sports committee’s diktat,” he said.

When contacted, DDCA sports secretary Sunil Dev, who is authorised to sign the NOC, said that so far Sehwag has not approached him. “He has not talked to me and I have not signed the NOC. But if he comes to me, I will give him the NOC in a second,” he said.

Asked about Sehwag’s allegation of interference in selection issues, Dev, who is also the convenor of the selection committees, pointed to Delhi’s Ranji Trophy triumph. “I don’t want to comment. We won the Ranji Trophy in 2007-08,” he said. Delhi, however, barely survived relegation from the Elite Division to Plate Division last season.

When pointed out Sehwag’s allegation about more nepotism and manipulation in junior teams, Dev said: “What has he got to do with it? How did he get the chance to play for Delhi?”

Chetan Chauhna, chairman of last year’s chairman of selection committee, said agreed with Sehwag about interference in selection. “This is not just happening in Delhi, but in other states as well. In Delhi, the interference is more so because it is the national capital. There is also pressure from politicians and even police. But we should resist these pressure and do our job fairly,” the former India Test opener told Mail Today.

Chauhan, however, advised Sehwag to stay in Delhi and fight the system. “I have not spoken to him. But running away will not solve the matter. We have to fight it out. By running away from the issues, we will be giving a free hand to people who indulge in manipulation. If Sehwag goes, it will not help as then genuine people will not get selected. He and other seniors should speak to the DDCA president about it,” he said. 

Sports committee convenor Vinod Tihara, who has been in power for the last four years, said that since Sehwag was keen on leaving Delhi he can say anything. “He can allege anything now. Ask him if anyone from the sports committee has said anything to him. At the junior levels we have won many titles,” he said.

(This story was first published by Mail Today on August 17, 2009)

Enter Pataudi charisma: DDCA agrees to Sehwag's demands, issue resolved

By Qaiser Mohammd Ali

New Delhi, August 25, 2009: Virender Sehwag has decided to stay back in Delhi. The India opener took this decision following a meeting with top officials of the Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA), in the presence of former India captain Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, here on Monday night.

Sehwag had threatened to quit Delhi for Haryana after alleging rampant manipulation in selection of teams and the rapidly growing powers of the sports working committee. But the dashing batsman had a change of heart after the DDCA president Arun Jaitley and other top officials assured him that the reforms suggested by him would be “accommodated”.

“Sehwag is not going anywhere. He suggested some changes and we will accommodate them. Earlier, we were a little bit lenient in the matter of selection of teams, but now we will be strict. With this, the issues that Sehwag had raised have been resolved; he was never adamant on leaving during the meeting,” a source told Mail Today. The meeting was held Jaitley’s south Delhi residence.

Gautam Gambhir also accompanied Sehwag, besides Pataudi. There were, in fact, two meetings. Sehwag, Jaitley and DDCA secretary general SP Bansal met first and then they were joined by Pataudi, Gambhir, DDCA sports secretary Sunil Dev and the three two vice-presidents — Chetan Chauhan, Suresh Chopra and CK Khanna. Each meeting lasted over one-and-a-half hours.

Sehwag had dropped the bombshell by alleging that there was rampant manipulation in the selection of various Delhi teams, more so at the junior level, in an interview with Mail Today published on August 17. He had also alleged that the sports working committee had overgrown its brief and was interfering in the teams’ selection through the selectors virtually appointed by it.

DDCA officials are also believed to have assured that the powers of the sports working committee would be curbed. “Payment to players was never an issue. But we will check interference of the sports working committee, respecting Sehwag’s suggestions,” said the source.

Sehwag had received tremendous support, not just from his Delhi and India teammates, but also from former players and coaches.

The source said that one of Sehwag’s suggestions was to have more tournaments to spot the talent. “He said that tournaments should be organised before big tournaments like the Ranji Trophy. We would definitely work on this suggestion. After all, we all want to improve the standard of the game in the Capital,” he said.

On the role played by Pataudi, also a former Delhi player, the source said that he came with Sehwag in his capacity as one of the most respected players living in the city. “By bringing Pataudi along with him, Sehwag perhaps wanted to show that former players of his stature were with him on the issues he had raised,” he said. “It was also decided that Pataudi would visit Feroze Shah Kotla, maybe, twice or thrice a month to oversee the reforms being implemented.”

Sehwag, who landed in Delhi on Sunday night, ahead of the original plan, was supposed to meet Jaitley and Bansal on Tuesday. But he sought an early meeting so that he could apply for a No Objection Certificate before the August 31 deadline, in case the issues were not resolved.

The day began with Jaitley speaking with Bansal on phone, apparently, to decide the line to take when Sehwag would join them. The two officials also finalised the venue of the meeting – Jaitley’s south Delhi residence.

Meanwhile, Gambhir, who had been down with fever, finally turned up at the Feroze Shah Kotla where a three-week conditioning camp for 23 Ranji Trophy probables is going on. His visit coincided with him regaining the No. 1 spot on the Test rankings of the International Cricket Council, having climbed two places to the top of the heap.
(This story first appeared in Mail Today newspaper on August 25, 2009)