Thursday, August 8, 2013

Parvez Rasool & Playing eleven: Why this hue and cry?

For last couple of days I was thinking about Parvez Rasool - lower middle order batsman and off spinner - hailing from Kashmir. He was selected to Indian team for recent Zimbabwe tour; but didn’t make in to playing eleven.

There may be many others who suffered similar fate. What made this young cricketer’s case different is the blatant criticism from various fronts.

Omar Abdullah tweeted "Did you really have to take him all the way to Zimbabwe to demoralise him?? Wouldn't it have been cheaper to just do it at home???".”Really disappointed that Parvez Rasool hasn't been given a game in Zimbabwe. Come on BCCI give the young man a chance to prove himself."

From Shashi Taroor- "Greatly disappointed that Parvez Rasool not playing today. Bizarre selection. Could easily have rested Jadeja&Raina for Rasool&Rahane". "What's the point leading 4-0 if you can't give every member of the touring team a chance to play at least once by reshuffling the deck now?"

Their primary arguments is - India won first four matches in the ODI series so they could have played Parvez in the last one (India won last match as well).  Many others were also commenting on similar lines. Several others took it to the next level and made it Kashmir issue by giving political overtones.

Why people are taking this as a political issue? It is good to hear that a person from Kashmir became part of Team India. In last Ranji season he scored 594 runs and took 33 wickets. Selectors took him mainly because of this performance and 7 wickets in an innings against Australian team visiting India.

But, who should be there in playing eleven is the discretion of Captain and team management, isn’t it? Shall we force them to take him in because he is from Kashmir? They may have a number of reasons as well - feel good factor, spreading sporting spirit across J&K, consideration for J&K etc. But then the same rules are applicable for people from insurgent hit NE India, Maoist hit Central -East India etc. What about people from SC/ST/OBC/OEC etc? Shall we compel BCCI and team captain to take them to playing eleven because they are so and so or because they are from so and so places?

You can say “wasn't it good to include him at least in the last match?” Probably yes. But again, it's captain’s decision. Team selection should be based on the strategy of team management and captain. It should not have anything to do with Parvez being from Kashmir or not.

In the absence of any discrimination he suffered because he from so and so place there is no need to make this hue and cry, especially by politicians. He played well in Ranji, he made it to Team India as well – without any political games. If he is going well in the coming months as well then there is no doubt that he will become part of playing eleven.

Wishing him all the best, may he be able to reach the top echelons of Indian sports.

Sajeev.

References

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