|
|
Change Your Life! |
Kapil involved in match-fixing! |
|
News |
May 4, 2000
May 04, 2000 :Three
former India captains, G.S. Ramchand, Polly Umrigar and Chandu Borde, have
called for a thorough investigation into the allegations that Kapil Dev is
involved in match-fixing. Ramchand has gone a
step further and asked for Kapil Dev's resignation. "I hope and pray
that Kapil is not involved, but I believe he should take the moral
responsibility and resign from the post of India's coach." When asked why
should Kapil Dev suffer if he is innocent, Ramchand said, "Precisely.
What Kapil should do is tell the BCCI that till his name is cleared, he is
stepping down from the post due to moral responsibilites. There is no
question of him suffering." He added that he
finds it hard to believe that a player of Kapil's stature would stoop so
low. When asked about Inderjit Singh Bindra's allegations, Ramchand said,
"Bindra stands to lose a hell of a lot. Surely, he must be having
some backing for making such daring allegations." He said Manoj
Prabhakar has to be forced to reveal the name of the person who offered
him money to under-perform in Sri Lanka in 1994. "It is high time
this drama comes to an end. I feel the CBI should force Prabhakar to
reveal the name. For how long will this thing continue," Ramchand
asked. Slamming the recent
ICC meeting in London on match-fixing, Ramchand, who was one of the five
who selected the 1983 World Cup team, said, "That meeting was an
eyewash. They think people are suckers! It is indeed painful for people
like us who have played Test cricket for Rs. 25. It was a question of
national pride then." Another former India
captain, Polly Umrigar, who is one of the most respected cricketers in
India, said after the Hansie Cronje episode, it is very difficult to say
who is clean and who is not. Commenting on Bindra's allegations, Umrigar
said, "Unless the whole thing is made open, one can't really say
anything. We can only hope that this problem is solved quickly." The present chairman
of the selection commitee, Chandu Borde, who has led the country as well,
said he never expected Kapil Dev's name to be dragged into match-fixing
controversy. Borde said from Pune,
"We will have to wait and see what happens next. These days, so many
rumours are floating around, a lot of names are being dragged, it becomes
very difficult. You never know whom to believe!" While admitting that cricket is facing one of the biggest crisis in the recent times, Borde said, "We can only hope for the best. The matter is with the CBI, and hopefully, the problem will be solved. However, I am shocked that Kapil has been dragged into all this."
|
