Indian cricket team selection - The joke never ends!

Today, the selection committee announced Indian cricket team for the forth coming seven match ODI series against Australia. As has been the tradition, the selectors have again made a joke of themselves. This time and not for the 1st time, the scapegoat is Rahul Dravid.

Just a couple of months back, the K. Srikkanth led selection committee had recalled Dravid into the ODI fold for Champions trophy after nearly 2 years in oblivion. The explanation given at that time was that Dravid's technique and temperament was essential in South Africa against a battery of fast bowlers. He was to be the linchpin of a floundering middle order. At that time everyone in the echelons of power in BCCI were waxing eloquent about Dravid's excellent batting ability and class. Its another matter that the same BCCI had done the grave mistake of ignoring Dravid for almost 2 years.

Dravid justified his selection. He scored 180 runs in the 6 matches that he played (Compaq Cup and CT) at an average of 36. He was in fact the top scorer for India in the champions trophy. It was not an extraordinary performance, but what else can be expected from a person coming out of a 2 year rut.

Now when Dravid was looking good for a couple more years of ODI cricket, he has been sacked. The explanation being offered now is that youngsters should be given a chance. One really cannot understand the logic behind this move. The very reason of including Dravid was to improve our middle order against fast bowling. Has our batting become so strong in just 2 months that we will be able to face the Australian fast bowlers. Agreed, we are playing at home. But there are a zillion instances of our team struggling against fast bowling even at home.

Its really a shame that a legend like Rahul Dravid has been subjected to such humility by the BCCI. No one can question Dravid's contribution and commitment to Indian cricket. He has scored more than 10000 runs in both forms of the game and has been the mainstay of our batting for more than a decade. He has been an excellent and a dignified sportsman - a great ambassador for Indian cricket.

I fully acknowledge the fact that we need to groom youngsters. Obviously the seniors cannot go on for ever and we need to nourish our bench strength. However, that doesn't explain the now on and now off stand taken by the BCCI. The BCCI will have to understand that it cannot treat the senior cricketers in such a shabby manner.

I really hope that the BCCI corrects its mistake and take back Dravid into the ODI side as soon as possible. He is still hungry for runs and his fans like me are hungry to watch him in action. After all, we are not playing many test matches, are we.

An Appeal to our Chief Minister Mr B.S Yeddyurappa

Its strange how the climate changes so fast. Till a few days back, Karnataka (and our entire country, for that matter) was in drought. Now, North Karnataka and Andhra are ravaged by floods!

North Karnataka has the distinction of bearing the brunt of nature's fury on either extreme.

The situation is very grim. Hundreds of lives have been lost. Lakhs of people have been rendered homeless. Infrastructure - bridges, buildings, roads - worth crores of rupees - has been washed away.

The state government has started the relief and rehabilitation work in the right earnest. Displaced people have been accommodated in various shelters. Food and medical relief is being provided to them. The chief minister himself is on the ground coordinating relief work. However, the disaster is of such great magnitude that it has affected 1.8 crore people in almost 1500 villages. Rebuilding the lives of so many people is not a small task and the money needed is enormous.

Naturally, the state government has appealed to the centre for aid. Knowing the fact that central aid will take its own sweet time, our Chief Minister has also appealed to the general public to donate liberally to the CM's relief fund.

In fact, the CM will kick off a rally in Bangalore to collect funds. He has also specifically appealed to the industrialists to donate liberally. He has also ordered all state government employees to contribute one day's pay towards flood relief. I am personally glad that the state government is so proactive in ensuring that the relief work doesn't get hampered due to lack of funds. However, our chief minister must understand that money collected is only half work done.


There are enough kind hearted people, philanthropists, noble organisations in our country who readily donate in such times of crisis. However, they all have second thoughts for only one reason. The money they donate with such good intentions should reach the final beneficiary in totality. It should not be siphoned off by middlemen, local politicians and corrupt government officials.

So, Mr CM, here is my appeal. While appealing for donations, assure people that the collected funds will reach the beneficiary without any pilferage. Follow up this assurance with results on the ground - Account for every rupee collected. Spend the collected money to bring succor to the millions of flood affected victims.

When this is ensured, Mr CM, donations will flood your relief fund. Also, you would have earned the people's goodwill which will take you a long way.