Why not Nayan Mongia?

By Vijay Lokapally

NEW DELHI, OCT. 24. ``Will I find any use for this?'' a dejected Nayan Mongia had remarked while packing his kit bag at the end of the Irani Cup at Nagpur recently.

As lensmen clicked away furiously, he flashed a smile which did not really hide his pain. ``They think I've retired or what,'' he whispered.

Well, Mongia may now be thinking on those lines as the National selectors once again ignored his valid claim. He might as well put away his kit bag and throw his keeping gloves into the attic.

The message from the selectors is loud and clear: Nayan Mongia may be the best wicketkeeper in the country but there is no place for him in the Indian team.

Why is there no place for Mongia? Because the selectors have to promote a young Deep Das Gupta and find a place for veteran Samir Dighe, who, everyone agrees, is not the best wicketkeeper in the country.

Why is the selection committee unwilling to come out with the truth in Mongia's case? Is there a directive from the top boss in the Board not to pick Mongia? Is the team as a whole uncomfortable with the thought of Mongia in the dressing room? Does the captain have the authority to decide the fate of a cricketer according to his likes and dislikes?

``No one has told me anything. I've asked the captain and the selectors but none is willing to tell me what really is my fault,'' said a shattered Mongia.

To find the truth for himself, Mongia had reportedly travelled to Bangalore where the probables were attending a camp before the tour of Zimbabwe. The skipper was not willing to give Mongia an audience. Mongia had, in fact, informed one of the selectors about his visit in advance. But nothing came out of the attempt even though Mongia remained optimistic of his return to international cricket. He had gone out of the team on account of injury, and not form, when he was ruled out on the morning of the Test against Australia in Chennai.

That Ganguly was not in favour of Mongia was well established when he refused to meet him in Bangalore.

One also learns that coach John Wright had confided with one of the selectors that picking Mongia might spoil the atmosphere in the dressing room!.

``No one talks to Nayan,'' Wright had informed.

So the truth is that the senior members do not want Mongia in the team. The reasons are many, but their main grudge against Mongia is, ``He's not a team man.''

A charge which Mongia dismisses with contempt.

``I've always played for the team and there's not been any change in my attitude,'' says Mongia.

But what prevents the selectors from speaking to Mongia.

``It's not our job'' said one of them.

They had dealt with Delhi wicketkeeper Vijay Dahiya in a similar manner-showing him the door without caring to explain their action.

In announcing two wicketkeepers for the Test series against South Africa, the selectors have only tried to find a compromise to save their skin. Having picked a mediocre wicketkeeper in the first place, the selectors had looked embarrassed when Ganguly demanded a 'keeper of his choice. By calling Das Gupta back, their embarrassment would have been greater. So this solution- allowing Dighe to keep his place and grooming Das Gupta for the job.

Also in the fray is Ajay Ratra, the wicketkeeper from Faridabad with no godfather. Left to Ganguly, he would like Vikram Rathour of Punjab-the batsman-wicketkeeper-in the scheme of things (for the 2003 World Cup). Incidentally, only one of the five selectors had reportedly watched Das Gupta before he had been handed the India cap.

Mongia is thus left with little choice. He is not wanted by the team and not wanted by the selectors either.

``Chapter closed,'' as one of the selectors remarked. ``Unless,'' as Mongia said in lighter vein before parting, ``I undergo plastic surgery.'' A sad joke on the shoddy state of affairs of Indian cricket.

Did the new Board president not talk of transparency and accountability? Here is a fitting case to begin with.

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