The Chosen one

Some much has been written about this and conspiracy theories abound, it is no less than a thriller whose climax will unfold during the second week of June. So is it about Neo of the Matrix Trilogy, is Keanu Reeves going to reprise his role and start off a new series about 'The One'. Nope, Keanu has moved on to movies like The Lake House, good for him, Thomas Anderson was almost becoming GOD.

So what is it about? It is what millions of Indians are waiting for with bated breath - the new Indian cricket coach. An anticlimax? Yes, for some who lost their interest in cricket after India crashed out in the first round of the World Cup. This is a hot discussion topic everywhere, from roadside chai stalls to boardroom meetings, from X to Y, everyone is just talking about this, who will be the next cricket coach, who is going to change India's fortunes.

Talking about changing Indias fortunes, the erstwhile coach, Greg Chappel sure did change it. Sure, we got knocked out by Bangladesh in the first round but we had a record 17 odd run chases (sports gurus, pls validate), something which we were never famous for. Yes, there are factions within the dressing room but which team sport doesnt have it ? But on the day, it is not the coach who is in the middle; all said and done, the team has to deliver, even if the coach is Sir Donald Bradman.

So who will it be ? There were lots of names floating around, even Sir Vivian Richards expressed an interest in the hot seat but the last man standing has turned out to be Dav Whatmore, the Australian born Sri Lankan bred maverick. He is a cricketing great in his own right, the 1996 World Cup being his successful shot at fame and the 2007 World Cup adding much credibility to his image. The BCCI officials deny the existence of any such favorite and say that noone has been shortlisted for the job yet. So it is an open-for-all job, wonder whether they will put an ad in the national dailies.

The time allocated for finalising on the coach is nothing short of absurd - one week! In the 7-8 days spanning June 4 -12, India will get its new coach. But how much time does it take to chose the next scapegoat who will take responsibility for all Indian failures while the captain will bask in the glory of all successes.


The commitee comprising Ravi Shastri, S Venkataraghavan, Sunil Gavaskar and few BCCI officials (in no particular order of importance) will have some prospective candidates in mind, but they are certainly very tight lipped about it. They will outline their plans to the media on June 4th, I hope the stupid argument about a foreign coach vs an Indian coach is put aside and more important matters like a bowling coach and a fielding coach are considered.

Let the best man become the unlucky coach, who cares ? I hope they dont drop Sachin !!!