From: ss733645@longs.LANCE.ColoState.Edu (Sohban Shahid)
Subject: Re: Manjrekar and other trivia
Date: Tue, 17 Nov 1992 18:55:55 GMT
Reply-To: ss733645@longs.LANCE.ColoState.Edu
Organization: Colorado State U. Civil Engineering

In article <00963BEB.ACB38D40@vms.csd.mu.edu>, 9063iyerm@vms.csd.mu.edu (Murali Iyer) writes:
|> 
|> Now on to other topics. I have referred to the controversy that some Indian
|> journalists wanted to kick up wrt Kapil's not wearing the team blazer, and also
|> his "demanding" business-class seats when the rest of the team was travelling
|> economy. Ajit Wadekar has come out with a statement defending Kapil and
|> pooh-poohing the very idea that there is some form of dissent in the team.
|> 
|> Indian cricket team had always travelled economy class until this tour. Now,
|> Air India has been generous enough to sponsor the team's travel, and all
|> first-class. So, there is no question of any on player *demanding* first-class
|> travel. Wadekar has explained how the upgradation came about. It seems he asked
|> the President of BCCI, Madhav Rao Scindia, "Sir, if the players are made to sit
|> in cramped economy class seats with no leg-room, how can we expect our
|> long-legged(???) fast bowlers(???) to bowl well the next day? Please permit
|> first-class travel". :--) So the President, in all magnanimity of a former
|> Prince, said "Yes, go ahead m'boys". :--) And that is the story of first-class
|> travel of the Indian cricket team. :--)
|> 
|> Incidentally, Imran is reported to have travelled first-class when all the
|> others were struggling to shove their luggage into the small overhead spaces
|> and squeeze into their economy class seats!  :--) Now, now. Those are not my
|> words. Don't shoot me. I am just the messenger.
|> 
|> Sunil Gavaskar tries to be mysterious and says "A top Indian cricketer" always
|> insists on first-class travel, but nobody cribs about it. Sunny does not, as
|> usual, name the "offender". 
|> 
|> Reporters who have travelled with the teams say that the atmosphere surrounding
|> the team is simply great, and the "boys are united". It is heartening to note
|> that there are efforts to highlight the team's good spirits, rather than some
|> silly stuff about dissent, rebellion, etc. 
|> 

Murali, top class players usually get more response from the audience
than any other player in the team.  Kapil, may have the same
problem but I don't think he was as demanding as the old Khan
was/is.  I will say its hard to put both Imran and Kapil in one
frame of reference.  There was/is a difference between these two 
great bowlers.  But, again its the charisma which counts and no one
can deny the fact that Imran has taken himself to a point where he 
seems to be a legend.  Imran complained most of the time that his
fans don't treat him like a normal person.  They wanted to give him
so much which he really don't expect or like.  I totally disagree
that there was a class problem there and I believe that this was/is
the case with Kapil, but you are a better person to know this thing.


Murali, I am not sure but I think that on many occassions Imran
joined the team later and he may have beared his own travelling
expenses.  If there was so much room for him on one side than there
was/is a very stubborn bureaucracy in Pakistan on the other side too.

--Sohban
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SOHBAN SHAHID                
Civil Engg. Dept.                (303) 491 7710/8204 (work)
Colorado State University        (303) 224 0397  (home)
Ft. Collins, CO-80523

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Newsgroups: rec.sport.cricket