Rungta recalls selectors’ ‘fearless’ era

Money factor has changed selection policies, says BCCI veteran who ‘sacked’ skipper Tendulkar in 1998

Jaipur: Even as the clamour grows for Mahendra Singh Dhoni to be removed from captaincy, a perception is growing that the Indian selectors are not ‘brave’ enough to take tough decisions. Things were different back in 1998, though, when a similar quandary was resolved by the selectors taking a stand and asking Sachin Tendulkar to step down as skipper.
    At that time, Kishen Rungta, a member of the then-selection committee, played an instrumental role in an eventful meeting in Mumbai.
    “The situation was such that a strong decision had to be taken,” the Jaipur-based Rungta told TOI on Tuesday. “Ramakant Desai was the chairman of that selection committee, but I must say that I played an instrumental role in that decision (to ask Sachin to step down). The atmosphere was quite tense and there was an element of fear hanging over the meeting. The selectors were afraid of the repercussions, but then we had to take the step.”
    Even after it was decided that Tendulkar would be removed as skipper, Desai refused to sign on the paper. “I asked him what he was waiting for,” Rungta said. “Ramakant told me that he couldn’t face the media after taking the decision and said he would sign only if I agreed to do that job.”
    Rungta agreed to take on the media. “We realized that it would be embarrassing if only I went out to face the media, without the chairman by my side. So, we decided to call the media into the room,” Rungta recalled.
    That wasn’t the only high-profile case of an Indian captain being sacked in recent times. Mohd Azharuddin, who had ironically replaced Tendulkar in 1998, was sacked soon after India’s disastrous World Cup campaign in 1999.
    Sourav Ganguly too was removed from the job despite winning his last two Tests as skipper in Zimbabwe in 2005.
    Will the current bunch of selectors be able to bite the bullet and sack Dhoni if needed? Rungta is not sure. “Nowadays, being a selector is a highly-paid job. There are many things that they have to be wary of,” he said. “If a selector loses his job now, it is very unlikely that he will get another one at such high salary. It was different during our days. We did not have to worry about being sacked and could afford to be fearless. The selectors then were people of high stature and dignity. Now, the money factor has changed a lot of equations.”
    However, Rungta is against the idea of removing Dhoni as captain during the England series. “That would send wrong signals. I agree that there is need for change, but doing it right now will damage the team’s morale further.”

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