Former India Test cricketer Lalchand Rajput alleged that the several members of the apex council of Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) have been misusing the name of legendary Sachin Tendulkar to have things their way.
Rajput, a former Mumbai batsman and current chairman of MCA's Cricket Improvement Committee (CIC), accused the use of Tendulkar's name for putting weight behind appointments on multiple important posts in the set-up, including coaches, selectors, trainers, and physiotherapists for Mumbai state teams across age groups.
Rajput in his e-mail for MCA president Vijay Patil and other office-bearers made clear his issue, as revealed by Indian Express.
“We respect Sachin Tendulkar but his name is used unnecessary everywhere to put pressure that Sachin has recommended X, Y, and Z," he wrote. "If Sachin has to make any recommendations he can directly talk to the President and CIC as we all know him very well."
"Tendulkar is an icon we respect him and I am sure if he has any suggestions, he has every right to let put his views across to us."
Applications for the jobs to coach its senior men, senior women, under-23 men, and boys in under-19, under-16, and under-14 and under-19 girls team were sought by the MCA.
The Mumbai Ranji team had only one former India players, Salil Ankola, applying for the job. As many as twenty-four candidates, also including Rajesh Pawar, Amit Pagnis, Wilkin Mota, and Sulakshan Kulkarni, were interviewed on September 9 by MCA for posts across different age groups.
The Indian Express report states, "Rajput’s reply had come in response to a mail from an Apex Council member Amit Dani who suggested that CIC should check the credibility of the selected persons with MCA before making the names public."
Dani, in the mail which was marked to president Patil, also wrote, "In all CIC meetings convenors should be available to avoid further misunderstandings amongst ourselves."
Rajput, though, was bemused by the talk around whether the secretary and CEO should convene those CIC meetings.
“There was no misunderstanding between the secretary and the CEO as I spoke to both of them and said we are taking the interviews of the candidates now. That the meeting has to be convened by the convenor. He should know the facts before he speaks," he added.
In his e-mail, Rajput further went after Dani over that suggestion.
“If anyone would like to know the names, I have got it with me but here I don’t want to reveal it because I am more matured than him. So I will not stoop to his level," he wrote.
"Now, I know why Mumbai cricket is going down because being an apex council member they can throw their weight around and get things done."
"We as CIC will not allow these things to happen; that’s why the AGM has given a mandate to an independent committee to look after the cricketing matters," Rajput added.
