BCCI is treating senior players like kids: Wasim Akram
MUMBAI : Former Pakistan Test captain and ESPN-STAR Sports expert commentator Wasim Akram is unhappy with the way that the BCCI has handled its senior players after the World Cup debacle.
In an exclusive interview to Mobile ESPN, Akram said: ?It?s a joke the way the BCCI is limiting players from signing endorsements. You can?t be treating senior players like Sachin (Tendulkar) as kids. If some senior players have advised the board to stop endorsements, then it is wrong?the jealousy factor is very clear.? Mobile ESPN is a specialized feature service from ESPN STAR Sports, offering unique sports content to sports fans on their cell phones, delivering not only wireless voice service, but also applications such as easy to access sports news, information, commentary, analysis and sports statistics. Akram said: ?As I cricketer, I looked forward to playing for my country. If you are good enough, endorsements will come. It?s not the money but the recognition that matters. Of course, money should not affect your game, but form and endorsements are not related. Can you tell David Beckham that all your endorsements are being withdrawn because you haven?t scored a goal in two years?? ?Financial stability is important for athletes. Cricket is a mental game and a player will only perform only when he is mentally comfortable that his efforts are being rewarded. The BCCI must rethink its decision,? said Akram. The Sultan of Swing, as Akram is popularly called, lauded the idea to persist with Rahul Dravid as captain for the next three tours starting with Bangladesh on May 10. ?It?s a bold decision?The couple of senior players who were dreaming to be captain again in place of Dravid have been put in their places. Winning and losing is part of the game and BCCI has taken a good decision to retain Dravid. ?Dravid is a good captain and he is improving. He may be lacking in confidence but he will get better. Under him, India will settle down as a team. It might take a couple of years but eventually the results will be good.? Akram praised the BCCI for making Ravi Shastri the manager for the Bangladesh tour. ?Players like Ravi should be more actively involved. Ravi is a players? man, likeable and knows what to do with players. His 15 years in the media will be an advantage. Whatever happens, happens for the better and Ravi?s coming, even for a short span, will help. May be in future, there is a bigger role for him in Indian cricket.? He may have been against him as coach of Team India, but Akram said the decision to offer Greg Chappell the directorship of the National Cricket Academy was brilliant. ?So what if he failed as Team India coach? Greg has a lot to offer. He is an organized man and young players will learn Aussie aggression and passion from him. Indian cricket needs the hunger for success and who better than Greg to instill that?? |