Hindustan Times
All power, no responsibility
For a country obsessed with pitches, the last week has been a major talking point. As is so often the case when it comes to administrators or associations, the chatter has reached its zenith for all the wrong reasons. While there is no shortage of on-field success to celebrate, the story continues to be a depressing one as far as running the game is concerned.
After the abandonment of the India-Sri Lanka ODI in Delhi, only the second such instance in the game’s history, both the Delhi & Districts Cricket Association and the Board of Control for Cricket in India have come in for well-deserved criticism.
Across the media, both in India and abroad, important questions have been raised and crucial lapses highlighted. The response, though, has been typically disappointing. From the BCCI, there has been stony silence. While the need to support one of their state bodies is well understood, the manner in which the parent body has closed ranks does not bode well.
Within the DDCA, the blame game has begun, being perpetrated by the very people who say they don’t want witch-hunts. While the BCCI summarily disbanded its Grounds and Pitches Committee, and various members of the DDCA’s pitches panel resigned, the issue is far from resolved.
What’s not clear – and the chances of this emerging are fast diminishing – was just who was responsible for the mess that left India embarrassed. To even try and correct things, first there is the need for someone to admit there was a mistake.
Till someone takes responsibility for what happened, there’s little chance of ensuring that a repeat does not occur.
For the moment, the question is just what the International Cricket Council’s sentence will be. While their rulebook suggests a 12-24 month ban is on the cards, it’s not a straightforward matter as this would mean Delhi forfeits the right to host matches of the 2011 World Cup.
To many, it’s inconceivable that a World Cup can take place in India without matches in the national capital. Just how the BCCI works with the ICC to get out of the latest jam remains to be seen.
(3 votes, average: 5 out of 5)
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