Team management shuts the door on media

By Our Special Correspondent

DHAKA, MAY 28. ``Do not disturb.'' The favourite instruction of the cricketers once they enter the hotel was once again prominently evident at the Dhaka Shereton here.

The arrival of the Indian team was an event in itself with the lobby teeming with mediamen. Not many autograph hunters though to hassle the `stars' but the speed with which the team disappeared was quite a feat. ``No phones please, we are under instructions,'' said the telephone operator and a wave of disappointment swept the bunch of journalists. Thanks to the committed efforts of a senior scribe, the manager of the Indian team, Mr. Samiran Chakravarty, agreed to make an appearance. ``Only for five minutes,'' the manager gave an indication of his busy schedule barely minutes after checking in.

Obviously travelling without any instructions from the Board, and in utter disregard of the universally accepted requirements of the media, Mr. Chakravarty announced ``we will not talk to the media unless required officially by the organisers.''

Mr. Chakravarty proudly claimed that the decision to shut out the media was taken by the team management. ``You are asking us to do something which has never been done before. No one talks to the media before the match,'' said the ill-informed manager of the Indian team. A chorus informed him what the team management had decided was something unheard of.

Similar tactics in the past by managers and coaches had backfired and the team had to make a hasty retreat. A ban on players talking to the media was imposed by manager Ratnakar Shetty at the start of the 1997 tour to Sri Lanka, but he was quick to make amends and, in fact, ended the tour with lots of friends in the media.

Kapil Dev too had acted tough on assuming the role, but realised the role of the media and he too became a hit with the scribes, particularly on the tour of Australia where the emphasis was on transparency.

Sachin Tendulkar started a reticent captain when it came to dealing with the media, but accommodated its demands most sportingly. On the Sri Lankan tour, when requested, he would have the media briefing before the `nets' to make the job of the scribes comfortable.

Sourav Ganguly had come across media savvy, understanding and quite a communicative captain before this senseless directive from the team management. Obviously he happens to be a part of the decision making group and in the process also reflects on the poor thinking of a Board which has refused to adopt professional steps when dealing with the media.

The absence of a media manager has been a jarring note in the Board-media relations and this episode only confirms in what esteem the team management holds the Fourth Estate. The refusal to respect the collective plea of the media was in utter bad taste, prompting a hard reaction from the group of scribes.

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Section  : Sport
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