Why BCCI did not invite Bishan Singh Bedi and Gundappa Viswanath?
Sep 23, 2016 at 3:39 PM
India celebrated the 500th Test match at Kanpur as India resumed the new season with a Test against New Zealand. India since 1932 has played 500the matches across 84 years. In those years, India has seen 32 captains who led the team. BCCI invited only 30 captains, leaving out two former captains.
Former spinner Bishan Singh Bedi and Gundappa Viswanath who led India in 22 and 2 matches respectively were snubbed. Cricket fans are yet to know the reason why BCCI avoided them?
BCCI invited Mohammad Azharuddin, who was found guilty in match fixing in 2000, but BCCI didn’t mind to invite him while the two greats of Indian cricket were left out in the cold.
Viswanath was known for his technique and style while Bedi was known for his spin.
Bedi over the years is very vocal about the BCCI’s activities, so BCCI president Anurag Thakur and secretary Ajay Shirke didn’t invite him to avoid an awkward situation.
Bedi is the only former Indian captain who observes everything with an eagle’s eye and is critical of cricket administrators, but it was yet to know why Viswanath was not invited? The former stylish batsman was a part of many historic victories.
Bedi said, “I have reached a stage in my life where I have stopped reacting. I respond. It is their (Board’s) prerogative (whom to invite). I wish the event goes off well. Good luck to them.”
At the same time, Viswanath said, “I don’t know if there is a criterion. I have not received an invitation or a phone call from BCCI. I know that I have captained India only for two Tests. I’m not sure if I they (Board) have invited only a few captains or all the captains.”
Among the notable names, Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, MS Dhoni, Ravi Shastri, Krishnamachari Srikanth attended the programme.
But, former Indian captain Rahul Dravid, who is the coach of India A and India U-19 team coach, skipped the programme.
BCCI has a long history of not treating his former players well. Players often get humiliated by the richest cricket board in the world.