Rajasthan News

Rajasthan Royals captain Dravid hits out at BCCI leaders over spot-fixing scandal

by RajasthanDirect
Aug 06, 2013

One of the most revered voices in cricket, former Rajasthan Royals captain Rahul Dravid has hit out at BCCI administrators, saying the credibility of the game is at stake in the wake of IPL spot-fixing scandal.

The legend also warned that respect for cricketers may diminish if fans’ faith in the game is not restored.

BCCI president N Srinivasan’s brazen abuse of power and utter disregard for the credibility of the game has hardly been spoken about by former players.

Dravid became the first cricketer to speak his mind on the issue, reminding administrators that they owe their positions to the fans and the cricketers.

“There are so many fans and so many people who care deeply about this game and it is because of these fans that we are who we are as cricketers.

“Administrators are there because of the fans and the cricketers to run this game, so credibility of a game, or a Board, or even a government for that matter, is important irrespective of what you do.

“If you are in public life, it is important,” Dravid told Cricinfo on Monday.

“Things like this don’t help, when we are on the front pages of the newspapers and not on the back.

“A certain amount of reverence, respect and love for cricketers can diminish, and I think it’s a really, really sad thing for cricket in this country if that had to happen,” said Dravid, who is a vice-president of India Cements, which is headed by Srinivasan.

Dravid has been in an unenviable position since the fixing controversy broke as it revolved around his IPL team Rajasthan Royals.

All three players – Ajit Chandila, Sreesanth and Ankeet Chavan – who were arrested over allegations of spot fixing in the IPL, were from his franchise.

Following the development, Dravid, who led the team with great success this season and helped them finish third, said he was “shocked, disappointed and distressed.”

Chennai Super Kings boss Srinivasan was forced to step aside from the office of Board president after the furore over his son-in-law and top CSK official Gurunath Meiyappan’s arrest over charges of alleged ties with bookies.

But no sooner had a two-member probe panel, appointed by the Board, given a clean chit to Gurunath and Royals co-owner Raj Kundra as far as their alleged involvement in fixing was concerned Srinivasan wanted to return to the helm.

However, his attempt to take full charge as BCCI president was foiled with the Bombay High Court declaring the constitution of the two-member probe panel illegal.

Save Kirti Azad, former players who draw a hefty pension from the Board, appeared to have looked the other way.

With Dravid raising his voice, former cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar also said Srinivasan needs to introspect.

“I think what has happened in the last few months has become more of a personal thing with the president of the BCCI, and the question he needs to ask himself is: the position that he’s taken in the last few months, is it helping the image of Indian cricket? Is it good for Indian cricket?

“And we know what the answer to that is. Ideally, yes, he would sense that by him just stepping aside and by the law taking its natural course that might just help the image of the BCCI at the moment,” said Manjrekar.

He agreed with Dravid’s observation that credibility of the game was important.

“Somewhere I think the administrators know that despite all this, the people will still follow this game passionately. Indian fans have loved cricket unconditionally but that is something the administrators or the BCCI cannot take for granted for too long.”

Spin legend Erapalli Prasanna also said that BCCI should take note of Dravid’s remark.

“They should take cognisance of what Dravid has said and rectify themselves and make cricket important.”

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