It is unofficial, but the Big Trio of Indian cricket---Tendulkar, Dhoni and Sehwag--- did speak out their minds; they made it clear that they are not willing to play in Pakistan. The captain, the vice-captain and the senior most member of the team took it on behalf of the rest of the team to informally communicate to the Board, that Dhoni’s boys have “strong reservations” about playing in a country where terrorist attacks have become routine affair. It is not that they have reservations playing against Pakistan cricket team---it is just the visit to an unsafe country that they plan to avoid.  

You just can’t blame the superstars for their moving in this direction. Just a couple of months ago, there was a huge blast in hotel Marriott in Islamabad---the hotel that usually hosts the touring international cricket teams. To add insult to injury, only last week there was another blast outside Gaddafi. To the subcontinent, the cricketers may be next to God, the cricket news media may project them as super-humans---but at the core they are just human beings who fear for their lives and care for their families.

Of all international cricket matches, playing against Pakistan is especially demanding. When you face the Pak team on the other side of the pitch, it becomes even more stressful and emotionally taxing. In this situation, a blast outside Gaddafi stadium itself is enough to shake the confidence of the team. What is the point sending a team to a country, where it will be difficult for the players to concentrate because they would remain occupied with the issues of security and possible attacks and so on?

Now this stand of the three key players of Indian side may create a dilemma for BCCI, which is dedicated to promote cricketing ties among the Asian cricket playing nations and if BCCI ultimately has to step back from this upcoming cricket series, it will badly affect the Asian unity within the International Cricket Council. However, a firm “no” from governmental authority may come as a face saver for BCCI and in light of the progress of the international events; it is so far unlikely that government will give a green signal to Pakistan tour.

On the other side of the border, the Indian Cricket Team’s three valuable players’ reluctance for making Pakistan tour doesn’t seem to discourage the PCB Chief, Ejaz Butt, who is supposed to give a one-to-one visit to his Indian counterpart Mr. Shasank Manohar in the coming week. However PCB does not also rule out the possibility of hosting the series on a neutral venue; given the circumstances, this seems to be the most practical solution.

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3.25 Copyright (C) 2007 Alain Georgette / Copyright (C) 2006 Frantisek Hliva. All rights reserved."

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