Can Vengsarkar play it straight?

By John Cheeran
Dilip Vengsarkar must be either a very, very brave man or a foolish bumble bee.
To actively pursue the post of National Selection Committee Chairman and eventually slide into that chair is somewhat unusual for an illustrious cricketer such as Vengsarkar.
It is a post least favoured by cricketers such as Sunil Gavaskar, Kapil Dev and Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi. And they are no mean cricketers.
They know the difference between pontification on cricket in general and team selection in particular. They are quite different from each other.
It is a post that will consume you, and eventually make you the number one enemy of the nation.
Those who have been ignored will hate you, those who will be dropped may even hire goons to fix you up.
And the Champions Trophy selection has indicated that in selection matters even the new chairman will have to follow the broad lines of the prevailing youth philosophy.
Vengsarkar might tell eager journalists that the door is not closed on anyone, not even on Sourav Ganguly but he will have to be realistic in his assessment of individuals.
Whether Kiran More or Vengsarkar if you do not bring runs and wickets to the meeting room, you will have to stand outside the Indian team's dressing room.