British club to fund poor Indian children's cricketing lessons

By Qaiser Mohammad Ali in New Delhi

NOT that money is a constraint in Indian cricket, but a prominent British club has pledged to finance free coaching to some poor kids in India with a fund of £25,000 to begin with.

Former British Prime Minister John Major, as head of the Lords and Commons Cricket Club, one of Britain’s oldest clubs, promised the scholarship after tying up with former India Test opener Chetan Chauhan’s New Delhi-based academy, which will soon be turned into a trust for the purpose.

“I am delighted that the Lords and Commons is giving practical and lasting support to Indian cricket and Indian society, and strengthening the relationship between our countries,” British MP Crispin Blunt, who managed a Parliamentary team’s tour to India a few years ago, said in a statement here through the British High Commission.

“That said, I will have slightly mixed feelings if any of the scholars turn up here at Lord’s in a few years time for India against England,” he said.

Chauhan, who scored a century against a team of British Parliamentarians in 2004-05, said that both the coaching and academic requirements of these poor kids will be taken care of.

“We would provide free coaching and also take full care of the boys’ academics. We will have boarding facilities for them. Although the modalities are yet to be chalked out, we will have five-six trainees between 12 to 19 years of age,” Chauhan told Mail Today.

“These trainees will be poor kids. Lots of such kids keep coming to my academy, but we will hold trials to select the trainees.”

Chauhan said his academy’s profile will change soon. “We are converting the academy into a trust and the process has already begun. The money that will come from Britain will be deposited in a bank and its interest will take care of the trainees’ needs,” he said. The trainees will be called the ‘Lords and Commons Cricket India Scholars’.

A High Commission statement here said that the trustees of the Lords and Commons scholarship fund are Crispin Blunt (MP), Prisons and Probation Minister Ian Gomes, and Mark Runacres, a former British Deputy High Commissioner to India.

“Mark was instrumental in this venture. He visited several academies, including mine, about one and half months ago for this purpose, though the talks about starting the scholarship started five months ago,” said Chauhan.

Chauhan, a former member of Parliament, has had a long association with Mark as they have played against each other during the British MPs’ cricket tour of India.
“Major pledged the fund to Anirudh Chaudhry, manager of the Indian touring team, during the first Test against England at Lord’s, London, on Monday,” said the statement.
(This story first appeared in Mail Today on July 26, 2011)

Wadekar wants BCCI to celebrate 40th annivarsary of 1971 Test triumph

(EXCLUSIVE)

By Qaiser Mohammad Ali

New Delhi: In the euphoria that engulfed the country after the memorable World Cup triumph and the start of the Indian Premier League (IPL) soon after that in April, millions of Indian cricket fans forgot about the 40^th anniversary of the national team’s momentous first Test series win abroad.

Others could miss April 19, 1971 -- the day India sealed a 1-0 series win over the formidable West Indies in the Caribbean -- but not Ajit Wadekar, captain of the team that included Sunil Gavaskar, Dilip Sardesai, Srinivas Vekataraghavan, and Bishan Singh Bedi among other stalwarts.

With the 40^th anniversary approaching, Wadekar wrote to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to organise a felicitation function with two purposes in mind. Apart from seeking recognition for his team, his other idea was that youngsters in the Indian team should know about their illustrious seniors who walked the same path years ago.

“Basically, the idea was for recognition and nothing else... no one is asking for donation or financial help etc. It was for felicitation of the team, so that people know at least about that historic series,” Wadekar, 70, told Mail Today.

“Today’s youngsters don’t seem to have time because they are playing so much of cricket. Most of those, who are playing for India now, were not even born then. So, if the 1971 team is felicitated they would have an idea about that team and the series. It just occurred to me... But I never got any response from them (BCCI),” the left-handed batsman said.

Just for the comparison, sports ministers MS Gill and Ajay Maken felicitated the football teams of the 1956 Olympics and 1960 Olympics respectively.

Wadekar had written to the board president Shashank Manohar soon after the World Cup win on April 2 in Mumbai.

But the BCCI, which on Tuesday organised a function in Mumbai to felicitate Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s world champions, has still not replied to Wadekar. When contacted on Thursday, the top board officials’ response was lukewarm.

“I haven’t thought about it. I will have to talk to my colleagues. Maybe, we will discuss this at a working committee meeting,” Manohar told Mail Today.

BCCI secretary N Srinivasan said he had no idea about the proposal. “I haven’t seen the letter. I will have to check up,” he said.

Wadekar said he will not write to the board again. “I don’t think I will be writing to him (Manohar) again to remind him,” he said.

The man who played 37 Tests, however, pointed out the three successive Test series triumphs under his leadership. Soon after the win in the five-Test series in the West Indies, India registered a historic series victory over in England in 1971 and then a 2-1 verdict in a five-Test series against England in India in 1972-73.

The success in the West Indies, which had the likes of captain Gary Sobers, Clive Lloyd, Rohan Kanhai and David Holford, simply stood out. For India, the main performers were Gavaksar (774 at 154.80), who was playing his maiden series, late Sardesai (642 at 80.25), Vekataraghavan (41 wickets) and Bedi (33 wickets).

Similarly, the 1-0 win in the three-Test series against Ray Illingworth’s English side was no less creditable, points out Wadekar.

“I think that was a momentous chapter in the Indian cricket history. At that time there were no ratings, but England was considered the number one team. They were really the champions. On their own soil they were supposed to be difficult to beat,” he emphasised.

The architects of India’s win were late Eknath Solkar (210 runs), Wadekar (204), Venkataraghavan (13 wickets), BS Chandrasekhar (13) and Bedi (11).

Wadekar says the win was the greatest source of happiness for him. “Of course, it was the biggest thrill that I got in my career. That was the best moment of my life. My players also feel the same,” he said.

(This story was first published in Mail Today newspaper on June 3, 2011)

Bhandari’s each wicket is worth Rs.1,000, says DDCA

By Qaiser Mohammad Ali

New Delhi: The Delhi and District Cricket Association (DDCA) has decided to present former India pacer Amit Bhandari a cheque of Rs.3.14 lakh for taking 314 wickets in first-class matches while representing Delhi and other teams.

This figure has been calculated at the rate of Rs 1,000 per wicket that Bhandari has captured for Delhi, India A, the Board President’s XI and North Zone between 1997-98 and 2007-08. The 32-year-old bowler, who played two One-day Internationals, announced his retirement on Monday.

“We took the decision to honour Bhandari at an executive committee meeting on Tuesday,” DDCA general secretary SP Bansal told Mail Today.

“We will also honour the four Delhi players who were part of the Indian team that won the World Cup recently,” he said.

The Delhi government has already announced Rs 1 crore each for Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir, Ashish Nehra, and Virat Kohli as well as Rs 2 crore for captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

It is learnt that the association would most likely honour the four players, and also a few top women players of the city, at its annual function in July at the conclusion of the DDCA league and the hot weather tournament.

Bansal said that an 11-member ad hoc has been constituted, as per instructions from a lower court, to conduct the rest of the DDCA league and handle other cricketing-related issues.

“This ad hoc committee will not conduct just the league but all cricket, in consultation with the Cricket Improvement Committee [comprising five eminent former Test players]. We haven’t named anyone to head the ad hoc panel, but we would do it soon,” said Bansal.

The need of an ad hoc panel arose after a Tis Hazari lower court on May 13 restrained the Sports Working Committee (SWC) from performing all its duties till steps were taken to hold the long over-due election to the committee.

The last election to the SWC was held on August 20, 2009, and its one-year tenure expired last year, but the same set of people continued without election being held. The 110-plus clubs vote to elect the SWC.

Bansal said an independent yet-to-be-named retired judge would identify the real voters representing the clubs and prepare a list for the election. “There’s no time frame for this as it depends on the number of objections that are raised while finalising the list. But we would like to go through the election process as soon as possible,” he pointed out.

The court, which empowered the DDCA executive to carry out the duties of the SWC under Article 47 and 48 of the Association until election is held, told the DDCA to write back to it by July 4 about the steps taken for holding the election.

The executive also ratified a nine-member finance committee.

(This story first appeared in Mail Today newspaper on June 2, 2011)

Durrani receives CK Nayudu Award for lifetime achievement

By Qaiser Mohammad Ali

New Delhi: SALIM Aziz Durrani’s selection for the CK Nayudu Award, the highest cricketing accolade of India, has made him nostalgic and brought back memories of his childhood.

As a child, he was attached to the man after whom the award is named — also India’s first Test captain — and used to respectfully call him nana abba ( maternal grandfather). Both families had a close bonding and it continued on Tuesday when Nayudu’s daughter Chandra met up with Durrani.

So, when the Board of Control for Cricket in India ( BCCI) selected the former swashbuckling Test batsman for the 2010 awards last week, Durrani, 76, was simply thrilled as it brought him twin joy.

“The biggest thing for me is that our families had very close ties. My father, Abdul Aziz, played two unofficial ‘ Test’ matches under Nayudu,” Durrani told Mail Today hours before he received the trophy and the ` 15 lakh prize money on Tuesday at the BCCI’s annual awards function in Mumbai.

“I was very young when he [ Nayudu] used to visit us in Jamnagar and I used to call him ‘nana abba’. Some of his family members are still based in Indore and we often meet to continue our family ties,” said the hard- hitting batsman known for hitting sixes on demand of spectators.

Durrani, who played 29 Tests between 1960 and 1973, was the original heartthrob of the masses and he executed those big hits with bats, especially those made in India, that were not of a high quality.

But the Kabul- born batsman tried to play down his achievement. “Everything comes into play — new bats and new talent. In the present team, Virender Sehwag and Virat Kohli, for instance, are very talented. We did not have high quality bats produced in India. At times, we used to get bats from England. The bat does make a difference. I played my first Test with a bat made by Mehtab Sports, which used to supply sports equipment to my school,” he recalled.

Times have changed and third generation Durrani, his grandson Yaseen, now wields bats made with the latest technology.

“He is more interested in academics and is also very good at cricket. Education is very important. If you see, all members of the Indian team are graduates. I have been guiding him and he’s now 18. Hope he also makes a name for himself,” Durrani added. “But it will be his individual decision. I will never impose my choice on him.” Yaseen, son of his Durrani’s niece Fouzia, is a second year Bachelor of Arts student at Ferguson College in Pune.

“He ( Durrani) hopes that Yaseen does something in cricket. My goal is also the same for him, along with excelling in academies,” said Fouzia, who teaches at St. Ann’s Convent in Jamnagar.

Fouzia who, along with Yaseen, attended the function, was thrilled at her uncle getting the award. “It’s nostalgic. It’s a great feeling when a player in his 70s once again comes into the limelight. His grandchild is also attending the function. It’s a wonderful feeling,” she said.

Durrani is living a retired life to the fullest and is content too. He is based in Jamnagar and travels as and when required. He is on the advisory committee of the Rajasthan Cricket Association, which he represented besides Saurashtra and Gujarat in Ranji Trophy.

Bishan Singh Bedi recalled his long association with his senior as well as Indian team rival as both bowled left- arm spin. “ He was quite a genius and I admire his cricketing ability. I always call him uncle and he treated me like his nephew,” he said. “ I met his father in Pakistan when toured in 1978- 79. We called him ‘ masterji’; he opted for Pakistan and coached Javed Miandad.”

(This story first appeared in Mail Today newspaper, New Delhi, on June 1, 2011)

Sri Lanka T20 meet to have 2 Indians in each team

By Qaiser Mohammad Ali in New Delhi

THE recent tussle between the Indian and Sri Lankan cricket boards over the Lankan players availability for the Indian Premier League (IPL) is a thing of past.

In return for allowing Sri Lanka players for the IPL, the Indian board is set to let its players compete and earn a few dollars in the neighbouring countrys own version of the IPL. Not just that, a prominent former first- class Indian player will oversee the T20 tournament — the Sri Lankan Premier League (SLPL).

About 35 international players are expected to be seen in action in the tournament that begins on July 19, according Milind Rege, former Mumbai Ranji Trophy captain and a tournament manager of the recent World Cup, who has been appointed as head of the competition.

“There will be seven teams and each one will have two Indian players in the XI. So, 16 to 20 Indian players would be seen in action in the Sri Lankan Twenty20 competition. But the selection of the Indian players will depend on who all are picked for the Test series in England that will take place at the same time,” Rege told Mail Today.

The four-Test series against England begins on July 21 and ends on August 22, dates that suit the SLPL perfectly. Since the lone India- England Twenty20 International and the five One-day Internationals will take place after the Tests, the shorter version specialists from India will be free to play in Sri Lanka.

Also, since Sri Lankas tour of England, Ireland and Scotland finishes on July 13, it will allow the top Sri Lankan players to be available for the league.

According to reports in the Sri Lankan media, Yuvraj Singh and Yusuf Pathan are among the players approached by the organisers. However, another prominent Indian player, who has been approached, said on Wednesday that the BCCI was yet to give the green signal.

“We are busy with the IPL now, so we’ll look into this after it finishes,” he told Mail Today. Those from other countries expected to play in the first edition of the SLPL include Shoaib Akhtar, Shahid Afridi, Kieron Pollard, Darren Bravo, Chris Gayle, Herschelle Gibbs, Daniel Vettori, Dwayne Bravo, David Warner and Shaun Tait. The teams will be led by Tillakaratne Dilshan (Basnahira), Kumar Sangakkara (Kandurata), Mahela Jayawardane (Wayamba), Sanath Jayasuriya (Ruhuna), Chaminda Vaas (Uva), Afridi (Nagenahira) and Vettori (Uthuru).

“The important thing in SLPL is that the players are being selected by the Sri Lankan national selectors as this tournament is being organised by Sri Lanka Cricket ( SLC) and the International Cricket Council has approved it,” said Rege.

“There will be 24 matches in all, including the semi- finals and the final, and the starting time for two matches in a day will be 4 pm and 8 pm.” The matches will be held in Colombo.

Mumbai- based Rege said the name of the title sponsor would be announced either in Mumbai or in Colombo. “We are talking with two- three parties for that and the sponsors name will be announced later,” he said.

The organisers are also mum on how much money will be paid to the players. Singapore- based Somerset Entertainment Ventures Pte Ltd. (SEV) has won the commercial rights of the tournament and Rege said he is working with SEV and the SLC. “With political stability having returned to Sri Lanka after 30 years, the government intends to rebuild the country’s reputation as a world- class tourist destination.

Given the passion for cricket in the country, the SLC believes it can contribute significantly to this objective by extensively promoting the sport on an international scale,” said SLC secretary Nishantha Ranatunga.

“Since 80 per cent of our cricketers are from outside Colombo, this tournament will help us identify the next crop of talented cricketers.”

(This story first appeared in Mail Today, New Delhi, on May 5, 2011)

BCCI unexpectedly scraps Rajasthan Royals & Kings XI Punjab teams for breach of IPL rules; Kochi gets another life

By Qaiser Mohammad Ali in New Delhi

IN A major and unexpected step, the Indian cricket board on Sunday scratched Indian Premier League (IPL) franchises Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab for unspecified breaches and gave another chance to the beleaguered Kochi to put its house in order.

Both the Royals and Kings XI were close to former IPL chairman Lalit Modi and are believed to have paid the price for it. The BCCI’s decision leaves only eight teams in the fray for the fourth edition of the IPL, to be played in April-May, though there is now a question mark if the lucrative Twenty20 tournament would be held at all.

Modi, whose fight with the board’s ruling group is well documented, was suspended by the BCCI for alleged financial irregularities in April. The board launched an inquiry through its disciplinary committee and Modi has challenged it in the Supreme Court.

N Srinivasan, secretary of the BCCI, said in a statement that Sunday’s decision, based on legal advice and taken at an emergent IPL governing council (GC) meeting held in Mumbai, was a unanimous one. “It was unanimously decided that the franchise agreements with KPH Dream Cricket Pvt. Ltd. and Jaipur IPL Cricket Pvt. Ltd. be terminated forthwith based on the legal opinions obtained by BCCI in the matters,” he said. Srinivasan also said that BCCI advocate PR Raman has been given instructions to issue notices to the three teams.

“The decision to terminate the contract of Punjab and Rajasthan franchises were taken purely based on legal opinion we received and the breaches committed by these franchises,” Srinivasan told reporters after the board announced its unanimous decision. The two franchisees denied the allegations.

Kochi, publicly opposed by Modi, was given a 10-day ultimatum by BCCI president Shashank Manohar on September 29 to form a joint venture company, was given another chance on Sunday, according to the board statement.

Owners of the scratched teams reacted with anger. “I don’t see IPL-IV happening if the BCCI treats other teams like this. The termination of the contract by BCCI is shocking. We are seriously thinking of legal action. We need to see a copy of the termination notice and study it,” Royals co-owner Kundra said.

Arvinder Singh, senior vice-president (cricket operations) of Kings XI, said they haven’t received the notice so far. “We haven’t got anything from BCCI. We will comment only when we get something in writing. Until then it’ll be premature to say anything,” he told Mail Today.

Modi, abroad for many months and facing the Enforcement Directorate’s light blue alert notice as he is required by the government agency for finance-related questions, reacted aggressively. “The action is totally illegal. They are hell bent on destroying something that we as Indians are proud of -- the IPL. So as to satisfy their personal agendas,” he wrote on Twitter. “BCCI’s total disregard for franchisees and there stakeholders only goes to show that BCCI has lost the ability to administer sensibly... the action is totally illegal.”

Experts said that Sunday’s BCCI decision, apparently under pressure from government agencies, is in continuance of their policy to completely wipe out Modi’s name. Modi came in the line of fire after he alleged that Shashi Tharoor, then a junior external affairs minister, had influenced Kochi to win one of the two franchise bids (Sahara won the other, the Pune franchise).

“Modi had rubbed the government the wrong way by claiming a minister’s berth. Plus, Modi is seen as having allowed the change of shareholding pattern of the Rajasthan and Punjab teams without informing the BCCI. Do you think the government will let him go scot free for all this?” an official of another franchisee told Mail Today. “But one positive outcome of all this will be that players will now become cheaper at the upcoming auction when the eight franchisees will bid for them as more players would now be available to the eight franchisees.”

(This story first appeared in Mail Today newspaper in Delhi on October 11, 2010)

Gavaskar turns 61 on Saturday

By Qaiser Mohammad Ali

Sunil Manohar Gavaskar, my childhood cricket hero, turned 61 on Saturday. As usual, I have sent him a mail on his birthday, and am awaiting his reply. Much like his habit of replying to his fan mail in his own hand writing, he always replies e-mail messages.

Gavaskar mesmerised millions of cricket fans around the world, including me, during his long and successful international career. A graduate from St Xavier's College, Mumbai, and Bombay University, the master opening batsman tallied 10,122 runs in 125 Tests and 3,092 runs in 108 One-day Internationals.

The inside story of Lalit Modi’s defence

By Qaiser Mohammad Ali

MUCH has been written and said about the three show cause notices that the BCCI sent to Lalit Modi and the extraordinarily long replies of the suspended Indian Premier League (IPL) chairman. But there are still many interesting aspects of the embattled official’s replies — Hotel Maurya Sheraton’s Bukhara restaurant is thrown in for good measure — that have still not entered the public domain. Here they are. Read on …

One of the charges against Modi is that he tried to launch a “mirror image” of the IPL in the United Kingdom and that this plan was hatched in a secret meeting with representatives of the English counties and IMG. While defending himself in his reply, Modi says that it was a casual lunch and not a sinister meeting or a diabolical plot.

“I was informed by the IMG that some county representatives were in India and they were eager to meet me. I had very little time then since IPL Season-III was already underway. However, as they continued to request IMG, I agreed to briefly meet them,” he writes.

“Originally, it was decided that I would meet them on 30th March, 2010, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Mumbai. I, however, had to unfortunately cancel the meeting. The county representatives, via IMG, requested me to somehow to squeeze them for a brief meeting as they were leaving the same night. On 31st March, I had planned to meet some friends for lunch at Bukhara and this was the only time I had. So, out of courtesy, I asked them to join me for lunch with my friends and they agreed,” he says.

The BCCI has alleged that Modi made a presentation to the guests as part of his “plot”. Modi refutes this. “Anyone who is familiar with the Bukhara restaurant will know that it is hardly the place where a formal business meeting involving ‘presentations’ can be held. The lunch was [a] casual and informal affair with friends in which the county representatives and IMG officials joined in. There was no agenda for this meeting nor did I have any preconceived ideas on the lines on which this meeting would proceed,” he explains.

CLARIFYING his patriotism further, Modi discloses that he virtually thwarted the plans of organising an Arab league on the lines of the IPL. “In fact, when one of the Rajasthan Royals shareholders held a meeting with Sheikh Nahayan regarding a proposed Arab League, I severely reprimanded him,” he claims. “I also sent a mail to the promoters of Rajasthan Royals with a copy marked to BCCI-IPL lawyer John Loffhagen and Andrew Wildblood of IMG, saying that if the said shareholder directly or indirectly associates with any form of unauthorised cricket we would have to take action against him.”

Meanwhile, varying speculative figures have appeared in the media about the number of pages in the show cause notices and Modi’s replies.

For the first time, here are the authentic figures, based on copies of all the notices and the replies. The first notice, which was delivered on April 26, was 34 pages long and, interestingly, there was no date mentioned on it. The second one, dated May 6, was Five pages long while the third one was of eight pages and was sent on May 31.

Modi’s replies have evoked much interest among the media, especially the pictures of huge cartons containing annexures which were delivered to the BCCI headquarters in Mumbai. For the record, the first reply actually was just 156 pages, besides the annexures, while the second and third replies were 24 and 51 pages long respectively. There could be many, many more exchanges as some of the unrelenting top officials of the BCCI and Modi continue to sling mud on each other in the most public spat in the board’s 78-year history.
(This story first appeared in Third Umpire column, Mail Today on July 10, 2010)

Sehwag: Knowing the man behind the batsman
Two of his closest friends recall their association with the swashbuckling batsman

By Qaiser Mohammad Ali

THE Twitter bug has only recently caught Virender Sehwag. The swashbuckling batsman’s millions of fans are now closer to him than ever before. So far, the world has been getting to read or listen to Sehwag’s quips and teasing one-liners only through the media— but now he tweets almost every day.

However, Twitter cannot reveal the real Sehwag, who is extremely witty and a master at pulling other people’s leg. Only his really close friends, with whom he has spent many years and still spends time, know the real person inside Virender Sehwag.

The world knows that Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar are close, but not many are aware that Viru opens up a lot more in the company of some of the lesser-known names of cricket like Delhi-based Raju Sharma, who represented Jammu and Kashmir in the Ranji Trophy betweem 1993 and 2002, Mahesh Bhati, who led Jamia Millia Islamia to its only Rohinton Baria Trophy triumph in 1991-92, Delhi Ranji batsman Mithun Manhas and ex-India pacer Amit Bhandari.

Interestingly, all of them live within a few kilometres of each other in south Delhi. And when Viru is part of this company they all go bananas, cracking jokes, pulling each other’s leg and recalling silly tales from the past — from Virdhavan to Sharjah to Palval — as was witnessed the other day during a local match.

Incidentally, Sehwag, Sharma and Bhati attended Jamia Millia Islamia and that cemented their bond further. “When we meet we recall incidents that happened 15 years ago hundreds of times and laugh our hearts out,” said Sharma, also a BCCI Level-1 coach. “Viru is very sharp, intelligent and has a great sense of humour. He has reached the top because he’s a good person, apart from being a talented player.”

As a rookie, Sehwag started out with Kranti Star Club under Bhati’s captaincy in a team which also included Sharma. Both recall that Viru was very young when their coach RP Sharma asked Bhati to give him an opportunity in the Goswami Ganesh Dutt Tournament in the early 1990s.

“In that match, we also got a taste of Sehwag’s temperament. He told his Najafgarh friends, who had come to watch him play, that he would smash sixes off off-spinner Rajesh Chauhan, who was then representing India,” recalled Bhati. Even Rahul Dravid has commented that Sehwag has a habit of devising his strategies sitting in the dressing room.

Although Sharma and Bhati are older than Sehwag, the three have gelled remarkably because of their idiosyncrasies, sense of humour and the knack of keeping everyone in high spirits. They are excellent raconteurs. When Sehwag played for Leicestershire in England in 2003, Sharma, who has also played in the Leicestershire league, stayed with him and had a great time.

“We often ate out, though I would make tea etc. at our flat,” he recalled. Later, Sehwag’s parents and younger brother Vinod joined them. Needless to say, food was subsequently never a problem.

Recalling Sehwag’s passion for cricket, Bhati said he never accepted the usual match fees after joining Collage Club in the mid-1990s. “He used to tell me he was only interested in playing the game. He was reluctant to accept even the prize money,” he said. “He reached the ground well before all of us. Once, after he bought his first car, a Santro, he reached the ground so early that we found him sleeping inside when we reached the venue.”

Sehwag remains humble, says Sharma. “He used to come to my home on his old scooter and now visits us in a BMW. But he hasn’t changed one bit,” he says.
(from 'Third Umpire', the fortnightly column that I write in Mail Today)

Sehwag’s back after shoulder injury
Cracks breezy 69 in a local match and declares himself match fit for Asia Cup

By Qaiser Mohammad Ali

New Delhi: Virender Sehwag on Junr 8 successfully tested his injured shoulder with a dashing and satisfying knock, which gave him a good reason to smile and crack jokes with some of his close friends at the end of a fruitful day.

The quick fire half-century was enough for Sehwag to declare himself match fit for the Asia Cup beginning in Sri Lanka on June 15.

“Yes, I have recovered from the shoulder injury and am fully fit for the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka and the Test series that will follow,” Sehwag told Mail Today after guiding Rajnigandha Cricket Club to the semi-finals of the 34th Lala Raghubir Singh Memorial Tournament.

Sehwag, who returns to the Indian team as vice-captain for the Sri Lankan tour, missed the World Twenty20 in the West Indies recently as well as the ODI tri-series in Zimbabwe. Due to a similar injury on the same shoulder he had missed the last year’s World Twenty20 too.

While the full-strength Indian team was struggling in the Caribbean and the second-string in Zimbabwe, Sehwag was working hard on his shoulder at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Bangalore. He slogged it out under the supervision of physiotherapist Paul Close and strength and conditioning expert Paul Chapman.

“I did a lot of shoulder exercises at the NCA. I am especially thankful to Close and Chapman for the treatment that lasted about four-five weeks. Thanks to both of them, I am back in shape,” said the 31-year-old opener. “I am also thankful to the BCCI for establishing a wonderful facility in the form of NCA. You get everything that you require there. It’s such a wonderful place.”

Sehwag’s last big game was the One-day International against South Africa in Gwalior on February 24. On his return to competitive cricket, however, he was satisfied with his outing.

“I felt very good in today’s game, though I felt a little bit tired after the match. It was because I was playing a match after a long time. But, thankfully, the weather was good. More than anything, I am happy that we won the match. It was the real pleasure,” he said modestly.

Sehwag cracked 69 off just 38 deliveries, smashing eight boundaries and four sixes in his inimitable style as Rajnigandha, chasing Air India’s 296 for nine in 40 overs, finished with 299 for eight in 18 overs at Modern School (Barakhamba Road) for a two-wicket win. Amardeep Sonkar won man of the match award for his 82 (69 balls, 9x4s,1x6). In the semi-finals,
Rajnigandha will play Malik Sports on Saturday.

Earlier, when Air India batted, off-spinner Sehwag turned his arm over to good effect and captured two wickets for 13 in the only over he bowled.

Sehwag is keen to utilise the time he is in Delhi before leaving for a two-day camp of the Indian team in Chennai on the way to Colombo. “I will play a couple of more matches because match practice is much better than net practice,” he said.

Sehwag not only batted and bowled well, but he had some fun too. Visibly satisfied with his performance, he cracked jokes with some of his old club mates, including former India pacer Robin Singh (junior). With dark clouds and cool breeze providing a welcome relief – as did the absence of a large crowd -- he got an opportunity to unwind uninhibited.
(This story first appeared in Mail Today on June 9, 2010)

Indias’ first triple ton goes unfeted

By Qaiser Mohammad Ali

MARCH 29, 2010, marked the sixth anniversary of Virender Sehwag's first triple century, scored against Pakistan in Multan in 2004. That day the team management and his teammates promised him that they would celebrate his feat on their return to India. Six years have passed but the celebrations have still not taken place and it can safely be assumed that they will never be held.

After scoring 309, which went a long way in setting up Indias win, Sehwag had a quiet dinner in his hotel room, savouring arhar ki daal and a potato dish. The atmosphere in Holiday Inn — specifically on the floor on which the Indian team was staying — did not look any different from the other days; hardly anyone visited his room and no champagne bottle was uncorked. “They said that they would have a party in India to celebrate the feat,” Sehwag had told this reporter that evening in Multan.

Apart from verbal congratulations from his teammates, the opposition, and the media persons, the then Indian cricket board president Jagmohan Dalmiya sent him a congratulatory fax and a bouquet was presented to him on behalf of Hero Hondas Pawan Munjal.

On the teams return, everyone went his way and the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) too conveniently forgot about felicitating Sehwag. And, as if to add insult to injury, the BCCI, ironically, forgot to include his remarkable feat in a documentary that it got made on the occasion of its platinum jubilee celebrations later.

Never one to hold back his feelings, Sehwag pointed out the anomaly to BCCI officials, but except for a “sorry” he didn’t get anything else as compensation.

And this week, the board rescinded the no objection certificate it had given to Sehwag to play for Northamptonshire in the English county league, citing “ heavy workload”. The BCCI has strange ways of functioning. And that’s the way it has been for many years!
(This story first appeared in Mail Today, New Delhi, on April 3, 2010)

Ian Bishop: Ex-Windies fast bowler breaks the stereotype

By Qaiser Mohammad Ali

HE IS almost the perfect example of what cricket stands for — gentlemanly and humble. In spite of being a former tearaway quickie — fast bowlers are supposed to be aggressive — West Indian Ian Bishop is down to earth. Even when he was sending down the thunderbolts in his playing days, you could have hardly faulted him for his behaviour.

The gangling 42- year- old bowler from Trinidad & Tobago is now enlightening television viewers in his thoughtful and quiet way as a commentator in the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL). He describes the action with insightful thoughts, choosing the right words, and speaking clearly, just enough to provide viewers value addition to the live pictures.

Bishop was a gentleman as a fast bowler too. Although his job was to get the opposition out as quickly as possible with sheer pace, he was sensitive inside.

Recurring back problems, however, cut his career short, allowing him to play only in 43 Tests and 84 One- day Internationals between 1988 and 1998, with long injury- induced gaps in between.

Maybe the many injuries left him disenchanted. “ After my retirement I wanted to get far away from cricket,” Bishop told MAIL TODAY , wearing his trademark enticing smile. It was a surprising disclosure as the once a cricketer, always a cricketer dictum is taken for granted.

“I wanted to go into teaching. Teaching has always fascinated me,” he said, revealing a little-known facet of his personality.

Asked about the subject he wanted to teach, he said: “It could have been any subject. I just wanted to teach.” Did he want to teach because he was good at academics at school or did he have a family history? “No. I was an average student and spent a lot of time playing cricket; it was my passion. No one in my family was into teaching. My father was into the construction business,” he said.

Then, something happened and Bishop decided to venture into television commentary. But even here his way of going about it was distinct. He enrolled himself in a one- year mass communications course in England about four years ago. “ It was a full time course. I remained away from the game and worked only during the breaks,” he said. “ The course has helped me, but maybe it is not as helpful in commentary as its in print journalism.” Bishops good manners are a clear testimony to the way he was brought up. Compliment him and he almost blushes, closing his eyes, and whispering a thank you. He is shy too. You wont find him loitering outside the commentators box during breaks between his stints with the microphone. He would rather watch the action from the confines of the box with a cup of coffee in hand. “I’m not a peoples man,” is all he says when you point out this trait of his.

Bishop also likes to know about different cultures. He has been to India several times, both as player and commentator, and found Jaipur very attractive on his maiden visit there in 2006 during the Champions Trophy. “They use a lot of pink stones in buildings and wear lots of colourful attire,” he said.
(This story first appeared in Mail Today, New Delhi, on April 3, 2010)

Neglect cripples AIR cricket commentary
By Qaiser Mohammad Ali

Ahmedabad: The Indian cricket board recently sold television and radio rights for a whopping Rs 2,000 crores for four years, from April 2010 to March 2014. But while all care is taken to providing top-class facilities for television commentary units at stadiums, the radio commentary, which reaches more than 95 percent of over 1.15 billion population of the country besides 16 other countries, continues to get a step-motherly treatment.

The plight of the radio commentators and scorers, who were on duty for the first India-Sri Lanka Test here, was an eye-opener. That they had to make do with a small room at the Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium was just a one of the many problems they face. There are many bigger issues to be resolved, but no one from Prasar Bharati or rights holders Nimbus Communications, seems to be paying any heed to them.

Negotiations between Prasar Bharati and Nimbus Communications on revenue sharing from radio, lack of basic facilities, late assignments to commentators and scorers/statisticians, huge disparity in payments to Doordarshan and All India Radio (AIR) commentators, scorers and statisticians are some of the issues that always crop up before a home series. No solution, however, seems in sight.

Sample this: the lone scorer at the first Test was paid Rs. 700 daily and the commentators Rs 1,620 per day, besides the Rs. 340 that each one got as daily allowance. In comparison, a scorer or a statistician on the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) panel receives Rs. 5,000 per day while the one who keeps scores at any BCCI’s domestic tournament get Rs 3,000 daily. And if a BCCI panel scorer or statistician travels out of his home city he gets extra allowances.

The radio commentators’ fee was Rs. 1,200 until last year, before it was revised after a long time. “We do commentary for the love of the game, otherwise you don’t make anything out of the meagre payments in today’s expensive world,” a member of the AIR commentary unit said on condition of anonymity. “And, mind you, AIR is earning good revenues from cricket commentary as they are getting good sponsorship for Tests and ODIs.”

A radio commentator gets Rs. 340 as DA for second-rung city like Ahmedabad and he has to meet his food and lodging bills within this amount. For metros, it is Rs. 500.

There is also a huge disparity between AIR and Doordarshan commentators, though both are from the same Prasar Bharati family. A Doordarshan commentator who, for instance, covers an ITF Satellite Tournament gets Rs. 7,000 per day.

The ever-present uncertainty about radio commentary adds all the gloom. It was because of this dilly-dallying in deciding about the radio commentary for the ongoing three-Test series that the commentary team had to do without a statistician, a permanent fixture for an AIR commentary unit. The lone scorer had to make up for the statistician’s absence.

“We were much affected by the statistician’s absence. All this because we were told about the coverage of this Test only two days before it started on Monday,” said a member of the unit. “There is always this uncertainty about radio coverage of Tests and ODIs, and because of this we can’t even do our homework before matches.”

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)

Gavaskar turns 60: Presenting a portrait and all that

By Qaiser Mohammad Ali

NEW DELHI: As Sunil Manohar Gavaskar turns 60 Friday (10 July), my mind raced back to March 1984 when I first met the legendary opening batsman in Lucknow and presented him a self-made portrait on canvas. It was a dream meeting with my childhood hero inside the crowded, makeshift dressing room at the KD Singh ‘Babu’ Stadium that I will never forget.

Since then I have met “Sunny bhai”, as the world addresses him affectionately, a number of times as a working journalist, listening and soaking in the fascinating tales that he always seems to have in abundance. On Friday, when I called him up him at his Mumbai residence, a recorded female voice answered “there’s no one to take your call at the moment”. I know many people would be trying to call him to wish him and he can’t possibly talk to all the callers. But like previous years, I am sending him a birthday wish through e-mail.

I have preserved several anecdotes narrated by Sunny bhai. One interesting thing that he told me several years ago was that he always used to reply to his fan mail, even while playing matches. He disclosed that former India players Raju Kulkarni and Chandrakant Pandit used to help him in sorting out the mail and in replying to his fans, but Gavaskar used to reply in his own handwriting.

Gavaskar also told me that all letter writers did not necessarily praise his batting and that there were a few who were critical in their opinion. He said that one particular writer used to regularly send nasty mails and that he readily recognised as it was always a blue inland letter. But Gavaskar still replied to all his letters. After all, he always had tons of patience and that reflected in ample measure in his batting and general demeanour.

My most thrilling and cherished moment has to be when I met Sunny bhai for the first time, at K.D. Singh ‘Babu’ Stadium in 1984. My admiration for Gavaskar was never hidden from my father and my classmates at Colvin Taluqdars’ College in Lucknow. Two years before I met him, my father had presented me ‘The Record-Breaking Sunil Gavaskar’ by CD Clark, after inscribing these words on the first page of the book: “To, my son who loves Gavaskar”. On that day, 12 December, 1981, I did not expect that 17 years later, I would get the batting great himself to sign the next page. That day, 5 February, 1999, he wrote “to, Qaiser, with every good wish”, before putting down his full signature here in New Delhi.

As I came to know from the newspapers that Gavaskar would be coming to Lucknow to play two exhibition matches – Gavaskar XI vs. Vishwanath XI -- I immediately bought the most expensive pavilion tickets, of Rs 25 each, from my limited pocket money. They were the first two tickets that were sold for those matches!

Since I was going to meet Gavaskar for the first time I decided to present him a gift. It was not difficult to decide what it would be: a canvas portrait of the man himself, since I used to draw well. While making the portrait doubts used to crop up in my mind when my boarding house roommates and other students wondered if I would “actually” be able to present the portrait to the cricketer.

Luckily, one of the organisers helped me present the portrait to Gavaskar. He apparently liked the painting and even asked me a few questions. In those days he had grown a thick moustache and my portrait did not have one. His first question was: “Where is my moustache?” I also got a photo clicked with my Hot Shot camera, but as there was insufficient lighting inside the dressing room the negative did not capture the image, as I discovered to my dismay later. I was, nevertheless, satisfied that I had taken his autograph. Sadly, I lost the autograph book that I had bought especially for Gavaskar’s signature.

A few years later, when my father was preparing to send a copy of 'Gavaskar versus Bradman’, a statistical comparison of the two batting legends’ careers that he has compiled, to Gavaskar, now editor of Sporstweek and Lifestyle weekly, I requested him to ask him if the portrait was still with him. My joy knew no bounds when Gavaskar wrote back: “Please assure your son that the painting is in sound condition and is in good hands.” That letter is still with me and is one of my prized possessions.

A few years later, I met Sunny bhai again, now as a working journalist here in Delhi, I again asked him about the painting and he told me that he still remembered it fondly and it was safe at his father’s place in Pune along with all his other trophies and mementoes etc.

Last year, I took my 10-year-old son Ammaar to Feroze Shah Kotla on 2 November – which also happened to be the last day of Test cricket for Anil Kumble. I helped my cricket crazy son get Sunny bhai’s autograph that made him immensely excited. Gavaskar not only signed his book and the miniature bat, but also gave him some sincere advice after asking him whether he bats or bowls.

“To open the innings one needs to have a big heart, a brave heart,” he said matter-of-factly with a smile, pointing his finger to his heart. “Opening batsmen face the blows from fast bowlers all over their body, especially on the chest, but the credit goes to the middle order batsmen. So, you should bat in the middle order.” My son listened to him quietly; he would probably grasp a huge point that Gavaskar made when he grows up.
(This tribute first appeared on www.SportzPower.com)

Hockey India must be democratic, transparent setup: MS Gill
(Part II of Exclusive Interview)

By Qaiser Mohammd Ali

New Delhi: One unique aspect of Union Sports Minister Manohar Singh Gill’s working is that he frankly shares his views and information with the media, something that was lacking with his predecessors. But, quite strangely, the 73-year-old career bureaucrat has not yet spoken in his usual, forceful manner on the prolonged and acrimonious tussle between various groups to get hold of hockey administration. The infighting has crippled the game, which is incidentally called India’s national sport.

After the disaffiliation of the Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) last year, because of corruption charges against its secretary Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) and India’s failure to qualify for the first time for the Olympic Games, the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) appointed an ad hoc committee to run the men’s game. Then, following the International Hockey Federation’s (FIH) instructions, IOA in May formed Hockey India, a joint body that will administer the men’s and women’s game, in line with the rest of the world. FIH had threatened that if Hockey India was not formed soon, the 2010 World Cup would be taken away from New Delhi and India would not be allowed to take part in any international tournament.

Before forming Hockey India, IOA dissolved IHF and the Indian Women’s Hockey Federation (IWHF). A faction led by Bengal Hockey Association president JB Roy and former IWHF secretary Amrit Bose are demanding “democratic election” to pick Hockey India office bearers. IOA had assured everyone that election would be held within six months of the formation of Hockey India. The deadline, as per the promise made by IOA president Suresh Kalmadi, is 20 November.

In the second and and concluding part of an extensive interview at his residence with Qaiser Mohammd Ali, Gill, while describing the current developments in hockey as an “evolving situation”, declined to give his vote to any particular group, except saying that his officers are in a dialogue with the fighting factions.

On the current infighting in hockey:

The position is very simple. FIH president Mr Leandro Negre came to Delhi two months ago and met Kalmadi and the ad hoc committee, which is [was] also under him, and also met me. He said that everywhere in the world they have joint bodies for men and women. So we also have to do it. In exceptional circumstances, they had to appoint an ad hoc committee. Next March, India is to hold the World Cup.

My officers have been in an intensive dialogue with Suresh and other people. I see what is going on. I don’t want to say much on it because it’s an evolving situation. I will not comment on it because every possibility is there on the horizon. I certainly take full interest in what is going on, my officers do, and keep ourselves informed.

All I know is -- and I made it clear to everybody – that we have to deliver a single body with an elected management and we have to do it within a time frame. Of course, the bottom line is that India is a democratic country. Therefore, whatever mechanism they choose, howsoever the election or democratic process is carried through, it has to be transparent, clear and it has to provide a new management that is seen as satisfactory to India and its people. Ultimately, they are the masters of hockey.

On the impending crisis of Sports Authority of India (SAI) coaches, many of whom are set to retire next year; on the lack of scientific staff at SAI; and on shortage of staff at new SAI centres at Lucknow, Sonepat and Bhopal:

I looked at all the areas of SAI very intensively when I joined the ministry. It’s a bit of a sad story that long ago the SAI had 1,800 coaches and the games that were being serviced then were less than what they are now. Many new games have been added and some of them have got recognition. Therefore, the burden on the authority is more and the need is more. After 10-20 years, we might need 2,500 or even 3,000 coaches. It’s a big country. The unfortunate thing is that 1,800 coaches have been reduced to 1,300 by attrition… retirement, death, whatever. And this was very worrying to me.

I am pushing very hard. Government systems are very complicated; everybody knows it and I have worked in it. But I am trying to find any means outside the normal system also to add to the coaches. I am only projecting my intentions; I can’t give you a number. But I am determined to try and add to them as quickly as I can.

Second, I was even more horrified that in a lifetime, since joining service, people were still at the same level after 20 or 25 years. No promotion. Now, if you don’t get any promotion with what heart are you going to do any job for anybody, coaching or an office job. Again, I really had to slog through the system, their records, documents and rules. And about 300 people last year, or three-four months ago, were promoted.

I will give you only one example, because I remember it. Boxing coach Gurbux Singh Sandhu had got no promotion ever and he is an old man now. We promoted him and pushed up others. I am determined to improve their conditions.

I have done many other things for contract coaches, like increasing their salary form Rs.10,000 to Rs.15,000 and Rs.20,000. Their numbers must be increased and promotions/incentives must be given. Then only I can fully staff the centres.

My focus is very much on SAI. It has to be made better if Indian sport is to be lifted. I have brought in two joint secretary level officers to assist the SAI director general, to strengthen the top management. One of them is in-charge of coaching and I worry him more than the [sports] secretary or his boss. We have engaged a number of retired champions and great athletes or hockey players on contracts.

On whether any move is afoot to have sport-specific infrastructure:

In this country, so much more is needed. There is no argument about that. In hockey, for example, I am trying to set up 20 training turfs, which are half [length] turfs. All the [former India] captains tell me that we don’t need full turfs everywhere. They can play six-a-side hockey and also train on these half turfs. At other, big centres, I am trying to place full turfs on which you can have tournaments.

There used to be a scheme where we [sports ministry] gave 75 percent and states 25 percent [for developing infrastructure]. Unfortunately, it was stopped and moved to the states in 2005, long before I came in. There were some Rs.66 crores worth of unfinished [infrastructure money due to states]. I fought with the government and managed to give it to the states because at places they were left with the roof not done. I said it was unfair; you have to complete your commitment. I will fight in the future to revive this scheme because everybody wants it. But till I get it through the government I can’t do much.

The one scheme I’d like to mention is the Rs.1,500 crore rural sports promotion scheme called Panchayat Yuva Krida aur Khel Abhiyan. Rs.300 crore is earmarked for a year for the whole plan. Punjab, for instance, got Rs.12 crore last year 1,200 or 1,300 villages. And I am anxious to go on pushing this to give more and more money. Under this scheme, we help a village with Rs. 1 lakh for playground, kit, equipment and tournament at a modest level. We do the same for block and district tournaments. We are going to push this more and more because, ultimately, our gold medallists will come from these six lakh villages, not from just urban people who live in the conditions they do.

On steps being taken on setting up the drug testing laboratory:

A major thing in world sports is drugs, as in other walks of life. In his opening speech at the Beijing Olympic, International Olympic Council president Jacques Rogge talked of the drug problems. Last year we set up National Drug Testing Laboratory (NDTL) in a brand new building near Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium. It is a big achievement for India that NDTL has been recognised by World Anti Doping Agency (WADA). Our quality of testing is such that instead of going out for tests, Sweden and other countries are sending hundreds of samples for tests that they trust.

The second thing: if you are caught out for doping there is a tribunal. When I came they were all packed with officers. I know nothing of these things, nor do the secretaries or deputy secretaries. I have changed all that. The president of the tribunal is a sessions judge, carefully chosen. WADA recommends legal, medical and pharmacological minds.

And the higher tribunal for appeal has a very fine retired Delhi High Court judge as chairman and the same kind of qualified people. It’s because I have to protect the sportspeople also. They can be ruined by a wrong test result or a delayed judgement. I have made sure that athletes will be tested frequently, nobody can quibble and no federation dare challenge this. We will test when we want – frequently, suddenly. And there is a judge to decide on issues promptly and fairly and a High Court judge to decide your final appeal. My message to athletes is: don’t go on this route [of doping], and I think my message is getting through

(This interview first appeared on www.SportzPower.com)

Games Village construction may go beyond April 2010: MS Gill
(Part I of Exclusive Interview)

By Qaiser Mohammad Ali

MANOHAR Singh Gill has faced many challenges in his professional career. He now has a challenge of different kind: of ensuring that the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games are held on time, using world class infrastructure, and that the event leaves a lasting legacy.

After helping start the construction of stadiums, much delayed because of indecisiveness over several issues, in his previous term as minister of state for youth affairs and sports (independent charge), Gill was elevated to the rank of a cabinet minister this May when UPA formed the government again. The 73-year-old career bureaucrat, now a Rajya Sabha member, has got sufficient funds approved by the government to put the CWG preparations on the rails.

In a freewheeling interview at his residence, Gill assures that, maybe except for the Games Village, all other stadiums will be ready within the deadline for the Games to be held from Oct 3-14, 2010. He said the Village may cross the April deadline.

Here’s the first of the two-part interview:

On progress of construction of stadiums:

The Games are next year in October, so we have got barely a year and half. I came in [as sports minister] on April 6th last year for one year, and now we are starting a new term in this job. The Sports Authority of India (SAI) is building seven of the major stadiums. They build it through the Central Public Works Department (CPWD) and my ministry provides the funds through the SAI to the CPWD. This is the mechanism. Almost all the stadiums are going to be ready by the end of this year, December.

When I came in April, there were issues regarding three sports. There was a minor issue in swimming. There were quarrelling over how many lanes to have [in the pool] and they were even saying ‘demolish all that you have built worth a few hundred crores [of rupees] and build another [structure] worth Rs. 300 crores’. So, I straightaway talked to everybody -- technical and others people involved, SAI and the organising committees -- and resolved the issue. The swimming stadium is now going along fine and fast.

Shooting also had a quarrel [to settle] and the construction was stuck. So I went to the Karni Singh Shooting Range, collected everybody and we had a real heart to heart talk. I inspected all the points where they had some differences. That issue too was resolved, orders given. From that day on, it is being constructed at a fast pace. Because the start was so late, about which I can do nothing, it will run into next January-February. I am trying to squeeze it back from that period. Let us see.

Then, the final one was the cycling velodrome. There was even an argument with the world cycling body; they had all sorts of demands and the matter had not been resolved. Again, I resolved it after the Beijing Olympics and we have started construction. But because of a late start that too will slip into next year. The Games are in October so that will be done in the first two months or so of next year.

This is important for people to understand – I immediately set up a system. There is a CWG Coordination Committee, I chair it in my office once a month or six weeks, according to convenience. Sheila Dixit, the Delhi chief minister, her chief secretary, the Delhi Development Authority chairman, and all relevant people come for these meetings. All my ministry and SAI people are there. CPWD, the organising committee and [Indian Olympic Association president Suresh] Kalmadi are also there, and so is the urban development secretary, tourism secretary, culture secretary. Occasionally, we call Metro [train] people too. We have intensive dialogue, go over what was settled the last time and see the progress. And, frankly, I am giving everyone a lot of backup.

There is a famous military saying: there is no such thing as bad soldiers; there are only bad generals. You have to lead them well. I can say with some confidence that I have the full enthusiastic effort of all these people. They are aware that they have the total backing of the minister and everyone who goes with me and ‘pure josh se kaam ho raha hai’. It will be done.

On the issue of Games Village:

There was one major item that was stuck for three-four years before I joined. The Games Village is across the Yamuna and the stadium is on this side of the river. Now, it was a strange decision taken long ago -- that’s all I would say. You have to bring the people this side and they were arguing and nothing was settled for two-three years. I’m sorry, it should have been [resolved].

Two days after I took over, we had a meeting. I said to them to show me the options; it had to be done, no choices. They told me about the best options, or the least damaging. And the next day at the [cabinet] meeting I got it fully thorough. Frankly, I really worked for it (smiles). I told Tejinder Khanna, the Delhi Lt. Governor, the decision is made and from tomorrow start laying the bricks. He said ‘sir, fikar na karo, ho ga’. And it [construction at the Village] is going on a fast pace. That was so late -- thanks to meaningless delay -- that it would even go beyond April but it will be done well before the Games.

On funds for construction of infrastructure:

When I came, we had originally Rs.1,000 crores sanctioned for the seven stadiums. And with all the reasons of the global economic meltdown, there have been cost overruns and some delays, we made a through examination. One of things I’ve tightened up is the expenditure finance committee and financial control & management. The special secretary of the finance department of the Government of India sits on this committee, so that if increased costs are being asked for, they must be examined with a fine toothcomb.

Having done that, I took it to the cabinet, the last meeting of the last government on May 8, 2009. They passed Rs.2640 crores, an increase from Rs.1,000 crores. The cabinet did not even murmur because I had discussed it with them and told them we have this duty, like a girl who has to be married off. Now there is no holding back. We have to have a good show; we have to be ready in time. If there is an increased cost, so be it. The country simply has to take care of it. All that we want to see is that there is good financial examination.

Similarly, DDA goes through the chief minister and the urban development ministry. They also get money. I have to say this for the government: that being in it, the government does not stinge legitimate expenditure on these things.

On athletes’ training and preparations:

Ultimately, the Games are for sportspeople. India wants to see lots of medals being won. We have been doing well in the past Games, but here we should do especially well. Surely, it’s our own home ground. The budget for sports has been very, very nominal. But last year they sanctioned Rs.678 crores for two and half years, till the first half of 2010, only for the CWG athletes’ preparations. It’s a lot of money. Straightaway, about 1,300-1,400 sportspeople were chosen according to merit and camps in India are going on with full force at Kolkata, Bangalore, Patiala etc.

Talking of foreign coaches, everybody reads only of [Jose] Brasa, the new men’s hockey coach. But there are almost 40 foreign coaches in India for all games. Again, because I have the money, we have liberally engaged foreign coaches for all games, and not just hockey.

On foreign training/exposure trips for athletes:

We are liberally sanctioning money for teams or athletes or swimmers to go abroad, sometimes for long periods. It’s all at the government's cost. I can’t score the goals or win the medals personally, but the government, through the sports ministry, is doing everything it can to prepare them. And I am confident that they will do better than the last Games. (to be continued)
(This interview first appeared on www.sportzpower.com)