NEW DELHI , SEP 17,
The legendary Virender Sehwag on Monday said he resigned from the Delhi and Districts Cricket Association’s (DDCA) cricket committee keeping the body’s interests in mind while skipper Gautam Gambhir distanced himself from Manoj Prabhakar’s non-appointment as bowling coach.
Sehwag, along with committee members Aakash Chopra and Rahul Sanghvi, had recommended the retention of Prabhakar as bowling coach but it wasn’t ratified by the management.
It couldn’t be confirmed if that was the trigger for Sehwag’s resignation.
However, as per DDCA sources the trio’s resignation was accepted because the state body will submit a new constitution as per the Supreme Court orders in the next two days, and fresh panels will be appointed.
When Sehwag was asked whether Prabhakar’s non-appointment led to his resignation, he gave an open-ended reply.
“We had come together and given time and effort with the idea of contributing and helping in the improvement of Delhi cricket within the framework of our role as a cricket committee,” Sehwag told PTI.
“However, looking at the best interest of Delhi Cricket, we would like to inform you that all three of us would not be able to continue with the assignment of Cricket Committee of DDCA any further due to our busy schedule in day to day life,” he added.
It is believed that skipper Gautam Gambhir is against Prabhakar’s appointment as he had been named in the 2000 match-fixing scandal.
However, Gambhir made it clear that while he was against Prabhakar’s appointment due to corruption allegations, it will be wrong to blame him for Sehwag’s resignation.
“It’s being said my protest against Manoj Prabhakar’s appointment as Delhi bowling coach has led to DDCA Cricket Committee’s resignation. Yes, I’ve always adopted zero tolerance when it comes to cricketers alleged corruption but the real reason for their resignation as told to me by powers that be was that post adoption of Lodha reforms on September 20 Cricket Committee will be disbanded. Just thought of clarifying,” Gambhir tweeted.
“Gautam has always followed this principle that he doesn’t want anyone remotely involved in malpractice like match-fixing to be a part of Delhi dressing room,” a DDCA official said on condition of anonymity.
“However, it is wrong to say that Sehwag and Gambhir had a tiff on Prabhakar issue as the latter was special invitee to the panel.
“After the new constitution is adopted, Sehwag would have been hit by Conflict of Interest clause as he is an expert in the DDCA president’s channel. Similarly, Sanghvi is associated with Mumbai Indians. So they knew they had to go,” the official said.
However, when asked why Gambhir didn’t protest in 2007-08 when Delhi won Ranji Trophy and Prabhakar was the bowling coach at that time or for that matter last year, the official, known for his proximity to Gambhir, gave a different reply.Saina, who also had won the China Open title in 2014, has a 8-2 head-to-head record against Sung Ji and if she can surpass the Korean, fifth seed Chinese Chen Yufei will stand in her way.
In fact, Saina and Sindhu are on a collison course and might clash in the quarterfinals if they can clear the earlier rounds.
Among others, Kidambi Srikanth has looked a shadow of the man who clinched four titles last season. Though the seventh seeded Indian won the men’s singles silver at the Commonwealth Games, he has been inconsistent in the season so far.
Srikanth, who held the world no 1 ranking for a brief period this year, will look to build on his quarterfinal finish at Japan Open when he begins his campaign against Denmark’s Rasmus Gemke.
However, world champion Kento Momota, who had ended his campaign at Malaysia and Indonesia, will once again stand in his way in the quarterfinal.
HS Prannoy too will look to go deep in the tournament after starting against Hong Kong’s Ng Ka Long Angus, seeded eighth.
Among others in fray, women’s doubles pair of Ashwini Ponnappa and N Sikki Reddy will face Korean pair of Kim So Yeong and Kong Hee Yong.
In men’s doubles, Commonwealth Games silver medallist pair of Satwiksairaj Rankireddy and Chirag Shetty will square off against Malaysia’s Goh V Shem and Tan Wee Kiong, while Manu Attri and B Sumeeth Reddy will fight it out against Taiwanese combination of Liao Min Chun and Su Ching Heng.
In mixed doubles, Satwik and Ashwini will meet English combination of Marcus Ellis and Lauren Smith, while Pranaav Jerry Chopra and Sikki will take on Germany’s Marvin Emil Seidel and Linda Efler in another match.
