The growing reunion party at the Rajasthan Cricket Academy (RCA) is not going down well with board officials and Lalit Modi will perhaps be paying a bigger price for his hospitality.
First it was the sight of Greg Chappell. The man behind arguably one of India’s most torrid coach-skipper days raised speculation of the real role for which he was roped in by the Australians under the garb of assistant coach. He was seen admonishing bowlers for not thinking of the batsman they were bowling to in the nets as an Indian for whom plans were being devised.
But he is not alone. His faithful companion from the days of Indian team coaching, bio mechanist Ian Fraser was present as well as video analyst S. Ramakrishna. Now with John Gloster present in Rajasthan as well (though he claims the meeting is a mere coincidence), it has clearly unnerved BCCI board officials who feel this has been akin to handing the enemy a fair advantage of providing facilities on India’s home turf to plot India’s downfall.
Lalit Modi was expected to head BCCI’s marketing committee at the end of the AGM. Now speculation suggests Modi will keep his role as status quo with no elevation in light of his decision as President of the RCA to allow the Australians the use of facilities which they feel are not extended when India go touring abroad. Whether it is the money that the Australians are paying or the opportunity that the Rajasthan players are getting to interact with the world champions, Modi’s extension is indeed bizarre accommodating to the point of antagonizing officials within the BCCI confines.
If this is another point for provocation, the Australians are doing it right because while the Indians are jostling amongst themselves in the Irani Trophy, the Australians are using not only the first class facilities but also, help from not so unexpected quarters.
