Expect our Netas/Babus to do such things....😡
Video News - https://www.ibnlive.com/videos/49422/how-politicians-basked-i n-crickets-reflected-glory.html
MUMBAI: The irony was inescapable. If India's cricket administrators had had their way, there may never even have been a Twenty20 World Cup. The BCCI, remember, was profoundly sceptical about the new format and only reluctantly agreed to send an Indian team to South Africa when it became clear that it was in a minority of one, with every ICC member supporting the idea.
And, yet, there they were, hogging the front row on the dais at the Wankhede Stadium, along with politicians — from Sharad Pawar's NCP to ruling coalition partner Congress. And, where were the players, who won in spite — rather than because of — our cricket officials? Where were the heroes everyone really wanted to see? Well, they were relegated to the back row and virtually obscured from view. Thankfully, skipper M S Dhoni got to sit in the front — the only cricketer allowed to do so. Dhoni, who's shown a maturity totally at variance with his swagger, held his peace about the seating. But he's unlikely to have been pleased, especially since he himself has displayed true leadership by letting his young team hog the spotlight — look at all the team pictures immediately after the victory and you'll notice he's either one of the guys or standing in the background.
Unfortunately, this uniquely Indian phenomenon of so-called VIPs jumping onto the bandwagon is allowed to routinely take place without even a murmur. The Australians were slammed for being rude to Sharad Pawar after winning the Champions Trophy. But, then, they come from a culture far more egalitarian that doesn't assume that someone has a right to gatecrash another's moment of glory simply by virtue of holding a political post. Of course, our netas weren't about to let an event like the Wankhede celebrations go to 'waste'. So NCP leaders wasted no time in taking over what should have been an apolitical, national celebration. Youth leaders Sachin Ahir and Jitendra Awhad were first off the block and joined the victorious team on their open-air bus. An SUV covered with the NCP flag and stuffed with slogan-shouting loyalists was part of the cavalcade. 🤢
At the stadium, deputy CM R R Patil's speech made only passing mention of cricket, as he thundered on about Maharashtra's "warrior past" from the days of Shivaji to Marathas who fought the British. Patil likened the team's victory to that of Indian Army against the Pakistan army. He later fell at his mentor and BCCI chief Sharad Pawar's feet.
It was left to Dhoni to reintroduce some patriotic perspective in the midst of this flood of parochialism. Dhoni responded to a question in English from the MC with the firm statement that he would be speaking in Hindi since English and Marathi had been amply represented.👏 Despite Dhoni's efforts, a sporting event seemed to have been turned into an election rally. Maybe, the netas were getting an early start, with the possibility of elections looming. Even Sonia Gandhi has invited Team India to drop in the next time they are in Delhi.
In fact, so strong is the feel-good factor in India right now that the government may even be tempted to call snap polls, said a fan at the Wankhede, sarcastically. The only glitch — this being cricket, you never know how Team India might fare against Australia and Pakistan. There's only one prediction one can safely make about Indian cricket — if things don't go according to script, the same fans will turn on today's heroes, and there'll be no sign of netas and officials around the team.
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