IT'S the rain-marred season's hottest encounter yet: Sunil Gavaskar vs Mohammad Azharuddin. Indian cricket's highest run-getter is sparring with its most successful captain off the pitch. It's not live, it's not in colour, it's not even on television. But the war of words, the battle of the bon mot—in black and white—is holding the game's fans and fanatics enthralled.
But has the Little Master bitten off more than he can chew this time? It would appear so with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) backing Azharuddin. The Board has thrown its weight behind the man in the hot seat, advising him to 'keep cool' in the midst of the vital World Cup season.
Gavaskar, by now a widely-read columnist, has already fired three major salvos:
Although Azharuddin's inability to digest dissent and stand criticism, and his tendency to blow his top at the slightest provocation are well known—he let loose on a hapless waiter for not serving him canned juice at an awards' nite organised by Gavaskar's company, Professional Management Group, a few months ago—no one had earlier dared to take him to task. Not in public, and not like this.
Azhar reacted with his usual fortitude. Yes, he had explained his absence from the Wills Trophy tie to the Board. No, he had not read Gavaskar's article. Yes, he had gone through 'all this' before. No, he 'would not stand so low'. Yes, there were people 'jealous' of his success as batsman and captain. No, he wasn't bothered. Yes, the Bombay press is to blame for the mess. No, it is none of anybody's business who he went out with. Says Syed Kirmani, sympathising with Azhar: "He must have tolerated the teasing and taunting for quite a while."
Coming as it does just weeks after Azhar's retention as captain till September next, and Gavaskar's assertion that Azhar would have to go after the next World Cup regardless of whether India won or lost, the ongoing spat has set tongues wagging as to what caused the breakup.
Some observers feel the reasons have nothing to do with cricket. Gavaskar, they say, turned against Azhar when the latter began moving away from Sanspareil Green-lands, the sports equipment firm in which Gavaskar is said to have invested more than just his initials, towards Reebok which has just entered the Indian cricket scene.
Others say the differences have come from within cricket itself. Gavaskar, they say, feels the long lease the Board has given Azhar—captaincy till September '96 and Azhar's own assertion that he would stay on as captain for another four years—would jeopardise Sachin Tendulkar's ascension and the future of Indian cricket.
Says P.R. Man Singh, manager of the victorious World Cup team in 1983: "Sunil is promoting Sachin.... All his talk about different rules for different players is nonsense. Has he forgotten how he got away with calling the selectors 'jokers' while Mohinder Amarnath who labelled the five wise men likewise had to quit the game forever? Different rules for different players have been there—they were not invented yesterday, and not by Azharuddin."
Azharuddin's scrap with Gavaskar arrives at an inopportune moment. The captain is not only having problems with the Hyderabad Cricket Association (HCA), but is also under close scrutiny for his association with model-turned-actress Sangeeta Bijlani. His purchase of expensive cars, watches and clothes are also being followed.
The Hyderabad Ranji side is sponsored by M'escos, and there are some who believe that Azhar is miffed that a deal with Reebok could not be orchestrated. But HCA's Ranga Reddy denies there is controversy over either the selection of players or the sponsors. Says he: "It's an internal matter of the association...it will be sorted out. Of course, Azhar will play for Hyderabad in future."
And on that hopeful note, mediators feel, the cricketing feud would be resolved.
