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The mystery of the missing star

Why was Sachin Tendulkar missing for the fourth game of the Sahara Cup?

Even the team management in Toronto was waiting for the star's arrival -- so what went wrong? Why was Tendulkar a day late -- and, as it turned out, far too late to help India out of the hole it found itself in?

Consider the questions involved: We now know for sure that the block dates for the Sahara Cup were between August 15 and September 30, and not the second week of September as the board has attempted to suggest. Why then did the board agree to the final schedule last December, at a time when the Commonwealth Games schedule was also known? Given that the board had a window between August 15-September 30, it could have conveniently scheduled the Sahara Cup for late August-early September, thus leaving the team free to play the Games in mid-September.

Intriguingly, given this situation, the board went on to give a "clean clearance" to the top Indian stars, Sachin Tendulkar, Mohammed Azharuddin, Ajay Jadeja et al, to play "masala matches" in Doha, Qatar and Dubai in the third week of August. Interestingly, even for these masala games, the Indian team apparently required the services of a coach -- thus, Anshuman Gaekwad accompanied the lads to these matches. What was the logic behind the move?

Then comes question number two. The impression had earlier gained ground that India would send its A team to the Commonwealth Games. Because of political pressure, that plan was changed, the team was divided in half. At that point, it could have been foreseen that India would be knocked out of the Games at the league phase, and that the four stars would be free. Thus, the board had over a fortnight to get the requisite permission from the PCB. Why, then, was the question left to the last minute, resulting in a situation where Robin and Anil Kumble were unable to go, Sachin Tendulkar finally got there a day too late, and only Jadeja made the trip on time?

Finally, having first bungled the trip of the four stars, the board then "entered into negotiations" with the PCB. Meanwhile, Tendulkar took off for Lonavla, less than 140 kms from Bombay. And apparently couldn't make the trip back to Bombay in time, because of "heavy floods". The question arises, why did the board not alert Tendulkar to the fact that negotiations were on with the PCB, and that he would be required to make the trip, and ask him to hold himself in readiness?

The mixup in communications is an excuse that just doesn't wash -- this, after all, is the age of communications, and Lonavla is linked to Bombay by any number of means.

So then, the main question raises its head: what was the mystery behind Tendulkar's absence?

To answer the question, a simple method is to ask, who stood to lose from Tendulkar not being present at Toronto? The answer is, the International Management Group (IMG) and the sponsors, Sahara Group of Industries.

And on paper, even the BCCI stands to lose, for the IMG would be within its rights to withold the annual US $400,000 payment.

This, at least, is the public perception. Reality however is different. As everyone knows, there are two big television players in the Indian market - TransWorld International (TWI), a wing of the IMG and WorldTel, a Connecticut-based company owned by Mark Mascarenhas.

Now, TWI has a contract with the Indian board for five years, which holds good till end 1999. This group is identified with former Board president Inderjit Singh Bindra, whereas

Mascarenhas is equally closely linked to the Jagmohan Dalmiya group, which now controls Indian cricket.

The fight for the control of the Indian market has heated up in the last couple of years, with both groups leaving no stone unturned in a bid to go one up on the other.

A clear indication of this tug of war is the absence of Ravi Shastri from the commentary team this year. Shastri is closely identified with Mascarenhas and WorldTel. Thus, since this tournament is conducted by Mascarenhas' rivals, it becomes obvious why Shastri is not here -- though he was a regular on the commentary team for the first two editions of the Cup.

Obviously, then, the whole idea behind the bizarre incidents surrounding the four players, and Tendulkar's absence, is clear -- the ruling Dalmiya group went out of its way to ensure that the rival IMG was hurt, by the absence of the tournament's biggest star. WorldTel has been desperate to see that IMG-TWI does not gain ground in Canada, because that is the route to the North American market, where the really big television money awaits.

Interestingly, Tendulkar himself is on contract with Mascarenhas, and earlier this year, was holidaying with the television big shot in his United States mansion.

And that, finally, is the bottomline. WorldTel wanted to ensure that the IMG group was hard hit, the ruling cliche within the BCCI obliged old pal Mascarenhas, and the cricket-loving public -- those who came from miles away to watch the action at the ground, and those who stayed up nights back home to watch the action on TV -- have been taken for a massive ride.

Those responsible are the board president, Raj Singh Dungarpur, and secretary J Y Lele. And, behind them, working the strings like a puppet master, the ubiquitous Jagmohan Dalmiya.

But will they own up to their culpability? Will they admit that for purely personal reasons, they have allowed -- no, ensured -- that a winning team loses its cutting edge? Remember that for a long time, India seemed to make a habit of losing to Pakistan. That situation changed recently, with India pulling off some fine wins. That edge has now been lost -- but will the people responsible admit their culpability?

It seems unlikely -- the Dalmiyas and Leles and Dungarpurs have many things at heart, but the good of Indian cricket is surely not one of them.