The politics of silence

Prem Panicker in Bangalore

If silence is golden, then the Board of Control for Cricket in India is our answer to King Midas.

Why? Because every single thing the Board touches goes silent.

On Monday, I was wandering around the nets at the M Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, where the probables -- and some improbables -- were taking part in the coaching camp. At that time, the players were easy, relaxed, friendly; they chatted, they responded positively to requests for sit-down interviews and suggested we meet in their hotel rooms later in the evening.

Then the team was announced. And suddenly, no one would talk. Not just about the Asia Cup, mind you -- silence, as far as the Indian team players are concerned, is not only golden, it is also total.

"Arre yaar, I don't have a problem talking to you, but I'll probably be chucked out of the side for it," says that friendliest of cricketers, Ajay Jadeja. "As it is, the Board is merely looking for an excuse...."

Excuse for what? "I can' talk about that, too," grins Jadeja.

Okay, fine, can you talk of matters non-cricketing? Like, can you ask Anil Kumble about the cricket CDs his software company has released lately? "No, sorry, not allowed to talk," says the Indian vice captain. "Not about anything at all."

So you figure, heck, let's talk to Joshi, Dodda Ganesh and such about their experiences in South Africa, in the West Indies. Ooops, no dice -- "The contract says we cannot speak to the media for three months after a tour," comes the response.

Great! Given that these days there is just about a week, 10 days between tours and tournaments, what the Board has done is effectively ensure the players cannot talk, period!

This, when we are celebrating the 50th anniversary of Indian Independence -- which brought with it, or so I am told, the right to free speech. Apparently, while the rest of the country is free of the shackles of outside rule, our cricketers are still in the thrall of the BCCI.

Fine, there are other people I could be speaking to, I figure. I call Hosmat, the prestigious medical centre in Bangalore, and ask for Dr Thomas Chandy, one of the world's leading specialists in sports medicine.

"Is this about Javagal Srinath?" comes the counter query.

"Yes, among other things."

"Sorry, I can't talk about that," says the doctor. "Anything general, yes, but not about Srinath or any other Indian player."

Oh? Why not?

"Well," says the doctor, "a couple of weeks ago I had spoken to a national weekly about rotary cuff injuries and what they mean. In course of the article Srinath's case was mentioned, and since then we have had calls and mail from the BCCI asking us not to discuss such matters with the media!"

But what authority has the BCCI got over Hosmat, I wonder.

The answer comes from the facility's PRO, Dinesh Mahadevan: "Well, see, we are hoping to work with the Karnataka State Cricket Association and its players, so we wouldn't want to rock the boat...."

The long arm of the BCCI, I realise, extends everywhere. And that arm holds a gag which applies to everybody.

Ever wondered just what lies behind the clampdown? Just what the BCCI is afraid of?

Srinath's woes

Javagal Srinath is one unhappy individual, these days.

For the last three days, he has been turning up at the stadium at 7 am, to join the Indian probables in their warm-up exercises. He then takes breakfast with the team, and leaves the ground without taking further part in the proceedings.

"The exercise routine is good for me," says the Indian pace ace. "So I come here in the morning to join in."

How does the routine jell with his prescribed physiotherapy? "The trainer (Tej Kishan Kaul) knows about my injury, so he does not make me do some of the overarm exercises that could hamper my recovery," says Srinath.

And how is the recovery process going, after the operation? Srinath -- who, even as he speaks, uses a long fibre rope, the ends of which he twists around his palms and uses for exercising his shoulders and hands -- is reluctant to discuss details, saying merely that his shoulder feels fine now, and he hopes to be match fit by September.

Interestingly, Ramakant Desai told me on Monday that Srinath will be considered for selection only after September's Toronto Cup, and that too after he proves himself in domestic competition.

"I have not made any specific plans about my comeback," says Srinath. "My doctors have told me I will be fully fit again in a couple of months. After that, we'll see...."

There is a note of wistfulness as he speaks. And even as he talks to me, Srinath's eyes constantly wander back to the ground, where his erstwhile strike partner Venkatesh Prasad and the other bowlers are warming up.

"Yes, I miss being with the side," Srinath says in response to a question. "I was bowling well when my shoulder problems began. I miss the excitement of playing for India, I am looking forward to coming back again."