Sport - Cricket

Pray, what sin has Nayan Mongia committed?
By G. Viswanath

PUNE, MARCH 21. The National selectors have once again failed to come up with any convincing explanation for overlooking the claims of former India wicketkeeper Nayan Mongia. It's nearly two and-a-half years since Mongia was dropped the first time, for the tour of Australia. He has been in and out of the team since then, picked for the home series against South Africa and for the two Tests against Australia last year.

Mongia's omission from the squad-he doesn't figure in the 16-member team touring the West Indies-was, it's understood, discussed by the committee before it settled for Haryana's Ajay Ratra.

Mongia has not been banned from playing cricket by the Board of Control of Cricket in India (BCCI) and he is still regarded as the best in the land. However, at every selection committee meeting he gets a bare mention and the chairman of selectors unfailingly narrates that at press briefings.

Mongia was hopeful of being chosen for the West Indies tour. A very senior selector confided on Tuesday (March 19) that ``Mongia is the best in India,'' but somehow he doesn't get the support at the meetings from the team management.

It's his `attitude' that has been conveniently talked about in the cricketing circuit, but neither the BCCI nor the selection committee has bothered to probe further. Also heard on the grapevine was that senior players in the team were dead against his selection and that the selectors did not want to hurt the sentiments of the team management and the senior players.

``It is not like that. I spoke to Sachin Tendulkar and he told me that he was willing to talk to all the five selectors, and that he had no problems with me. I have also spoken to coach John Wright,'' said Mongia. ``If I am considered the best wicketkeeper, why am I being continually kept out of the team?'' asks Mongia.

It's time the BCCI or the selection committee came clean on the events that caused the `disappearance' of Mongia from the Indian team. The truth must be told. Sometime ago the selectors punished offspinner Harbhajan Singh for misdemeanour at the National Cricket Academy. However, they picked him again for the country. Similarly, players like Yuveraj Singh and V.V.S. Laxman were also dropped for poor performance with the bat.

Mongia's case, it appears, has got nothing to do with cricketing merit, but is purely of personal nature. If his `attitude' is the real problem, then the public has a right to know what sin Mongia has committed, as also the definition of `attitude' according to the selectors and the team management.

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