What BCCI wants

As I see it, the recent moves of BCCI had nothing to do with resurrecting the sorry state of Indian cricket, post the WC debacle. The Indian team's dismal performance gave the BCCI a brilliant opportunity to exercise the third word of it's abbreviated name...Control.

Historically, the BCCI always had an issue with the financial opportunities/clout of the Indian cricketers. And what better time to rein in these truant stars than when the public is baying for the blood of these 'overpaid underperformers'.

Every major change announced since then, are all related to this objective.

1. Retaining RD as the captain. RD is the proverbial 'good boy' of the class. He will hardly go into a confrontational mode against the BCCI, unlike some ex-captain with 'slow scoring rates'. And their move has been amply rewarded by the 'right noises' RD has started making thereafter.

2. Venkatesh Prasad as the bowling coach. Now you have to give RD a few carrots too. Or else how else do you justify the this appointment. I mean, Venkatesh Prasad? What is he known for? As Jawagal Srinath's not-so-consistent and not-so-regular bowling partner? Or the man who got Amir Sohail out at the 1996 WC q/f, with sheer histrionics?

3. Ravi Shastri. Perhaps the most brilliant move. While the cricketing community falls over each other trying to wax eloquent about the suddenly discovered razor-sharp cricketing brain of Ravi Shastri, let's get some facts in place. Where has Ravi Shastri's cricketing acumen been demonstrated? At the ESPN commentary box? Or was it the solitary Test that he captained and won in 1987-88 against WI?

Well, just put things in perspective, India won that Chepauk Test on a track, specially (under)prepared for a certain Mr Narendra Hirwani who had exposed the WI's discomfort at playing him in a previous tour match. So what was Ravi Shastri's contribution? Raising his his little finger near his mouth like Dr Evil and saying, "We shall include Hirwani in the team." Ha! BTW, let's not forget that the other big contributor to that victory was Kapil with his century to ensure that we had a good first innings total.

Ravi Shastri's appointment was the pre-emptive strike that BCCI needed, to take out any semblance of an united players' opposition that might have arisen over the endorsement issue. Remember Ravi Shastri was the representative of the still-not-recognised Players' Association.

I think the way to mend the state of Indian cricket does not lie in formulating policies about how many brands a cricketer can endorse. As I have said before, if (and only if) there is a correlation between performance and endorsements, the cricketing public is the best judge and the only ones capable to putting things in place.

The BCCI should occupy itself with more important things. But right now, it looks like a turf war and the BCCI has found a brilliant opportunity!