(Top) Pawar, Dalmiya

Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Jagmohan Dalmiya has appealed to the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president, Sharad Pawar, to reinstate Sourav Ganguly in the squad for the Test Match in Ahmedabad commencing on Sunday. The following is the text of the letter:

Dear Mr. Pawar,

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has always maintained that the selection of the national teams at all levels should be the prerogative of the Selection Committees and the administrators usually do not interfere with the selection process.

You would however, appreciate that there could always be an exception in very special circumstances. The exclusion of Sourav Ganguly from the third Test match between India and Sri Lanka scheduled to start in Ahmedabad on 18 December 2005 has shaken the entire country. Despite Sourav’s reasonable performances in the Delhi Test, his exclusion has created a furore amongst all cross sections of the people throughout the country, which cannot be ignored.

Last evening, I saw your reactions on television when you expressed your “shock” at Sourav’s omission. Needless to mention, I shared the same sentiments. But you also sought to differentiate between your role as the BCCI President and as a genuine cricket lover who understands the game.

During the interview, you mentioned that the BCCI President has the powers to intervene only when the Indian team tours abroad. It appears that you were misled by some in the matter. Although as per the Rules, the President has to be informed about the Indian team touring abroad, it has been age-old convention for the BCCI President to be informed about any Indian senior team being selected even in home series. Since I have been representing the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) in the Board since the early 1980s, I have experienced that all the Secretaries sought the President’s approval even before announcing the Indian team for the home series.

I wish to offer the following illustrations:

When Mr. N. K. P. Salve was the President from 1982-83 to 1984-85, the Secretary Mr. A.W. Kanmadikar always informed the President before announcing the Indian team for either home series or foreign tours. During Mr. Salve’s tenure, little master Sunil Gavaskar was once dropped from the Indian team for a particular home series and there was nationwide agitation. Mr. Salve had to intervene and include Gavaskar in the team.

Mr. S. Sriraman served as the President from 1985-86 to 1987-88 and the then Secretary, Mr. Ranbir Singh Mahendra did the same.

Mr. Mahendra as the Secretary followed the same practice when Mr. B.N. Dutt took over as the President from 1988-89 to 1989-90. In fact, the Selectors had dropped Kapil Dev from the Indian team that was to tour New Zealand in 1989-90 and Mr. Dutt had to intervene to include him in the team

Mr. Madhavrao Scindia was the President from 1990-91 to 1991-92. I was the Hony. Secretary for one year and Mr. C. Nagaraj for the next two years. We always reported the Indian team for any home series or foreign tours to the President before releasing it to the media.

I was the Hony. Secretary when Mr. I.S. Bindra was the President from 1993-94 to 1995-96. Although Mr. Bindra and I shared a personal friendship, I never announced the team without informing him. In fact, I recall that on certain occasions, I had to wait along with the then Selectors for hours even though the meeting was over since I was not able to get Mr. Bindra over telephone.

I followed the same practice when I was the Hony. Secretary for the first year of Mr. Raj Singh Dungarpur’s tenure as the President from 1996-97 to 1998-99. Mr. J.Y. Lele, who succeeded me for the next two years of Mr. Dungarpur’s tenure too did the same.

Dr. A.C. Muthiah served as the President from 1999-2000 to 2000-01 with Mr. Lele as the Hony. Secretary. The same practice was followed.

I was the BCCI President from 2001-02 to 2003-04. Mr. Niranjan Shah was the Hony. Secretary in the first year and Mr. S.K. Nair was the Hony. Secretary in the next two years and there was no deviation. I am sure, Mr. Shah, who has again taken over as the Hony. Secretary, would vouch for this.

Mr. Ranbir Singh Mahandra served as the President in 2004-05. Mr. S.K. Nair also followed the same practice.

Therefore, it is an established fact that it has been an age-old convention for the BCCI President to be informed of an Indian team before its announcement even for a home series.

It would perhaps not be out of place to mention that in 1945-46 when the Australian Services team led by A.L. Hassett toured India for a four-Test series, the “Errol Flynn of Indian Cricket” Syed Mushtaq Ali was dropped from the team in the Calcutta Test. A wave of indignation swept across the country. There were posters all over “No Mushtaq, No Test”. The Board was compelled to reconsider its decision and included Mushtaq Ali in the team. It is significant to mention that the Chairman of Selectors then was none other than K.S. Duleepsinhji. The indignation throughout the length and breadth of the country over Sourav’s omission is as intense, if not more.

Since you have realized that Sourav Ganguly should not have been dropped from the team after performing well in the Delhi Test, I would earnestly appeal for your kind intervention in the matter and to advise the Hony. Secretary to reinstate Sourav in the squad for the Ahmedabad Test.

I make this appeal to you since it is a known fact that justice was not meted out to Sourav and you too have shared the same sentiments like millions of other countrymen. The position of the BCCI President cannot be devoid of reasonableness and hence, this appeal for “justice delayed” rather than “justice denied”.

With kind regards,

Yours sincerely,

J. Dalmiya