MUMBAI, 3 February 2007 — Speaking for the first time since Irfan Pathan was unceremoniously sent back from South Africa for poor form, his first coach, who had taken him under his wings right from schooldays, Shaikh Mehendi, spoke his mind out.
He said that Irfan did not contact him on his homecoming. “Maybe he is too hurt and wants to be left alone,” he sympathized with his ward.
But he was quick to state what really went wrong with his favorite and most accomplished pupil.
“Too many cooks have spoiled it” is how he put it. He was referring to the number of ex-players who had sought him out to offer their advice. He said that in the beginning, Irfan got some useful tips from Wasim Akram and then the others joined in teaching him a few lessons. Some gave him advice on bowling, the others on his batting, when he was in South Africa.
“That is why coach Greg Chappell, who is his real benefactor, decided to send him back so that the young man may not get too confused,” he said. Mehendi said that Chappell wanted him to sort out his problems himself. Similarly, an unseemly confusion rides on the back of India’s final preparation for the World Cup which is just 40 days away. Even as the series against West Indies was on, Chappell and Dravid wanted to try out a few young players, especially in the opening slot from where Virender Sehwag was out.
In order to give Robin Uthappa a chance, Ganguly was given a rest, so also were Harbhajan and Zaheeer Khan. India lost the match at Chennai, but the batting of Uthappa was a revelation. He displayed brilliant stroke-play and his 74 runs had shown enough potential. He did not slog but played genuine cricketing strokes.
Now, the top officials of the Board of Control for Cricket in India have gone straightaway to the media to criticize the move to give reserve players a chance. When this move was announced two days before the match, no one said anything. In fact, it was welcomed. Just because the result of the match was adverse, the officials are making an issue now.
Is this a part of the running battle between some officials and the team management ? Nowadays, there are such remarks made frequently in the media by these officials. This certainly does not augur well for the final tuning up process for the mega event.
