Indian cricket: BCCI should shock and awe the Mafiosi

By John Cheeran
Many are the critics and commentators who have written that the BCCI has taken harsh measures against the Indian cricketers, especially regarding the restrictions on endorsements and abolition of the graded payments.
The only power the BCCI holds over gentlemen such as Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly and Rahul Dravid is the right to select them to play for what could be legally a BCCI XI but for practical purposes we refer as Indian team.
Sharad Pawar and Niranjan Shah should forget about endorsements.
The only shock treatment that would instill some sense into the bloated egos of Tendulkar, Ganguly and Yuvraj Singhs are dumping from the team.
If the BCCI does not include these Mafiosi in the team, the endorsements and sponsors will look elsewhere for better billboards.
Cricket should come first for the BCCI, and superstars should take a backseat. There are no dearth of commentators who point out that it is guys like Tendulkars and Dravids who bring spectators to the stadiums and not Pawars and Shahs of the world. True, but give opportunities to those who are on the boundaries of Indian cricket, they too will flourish and serve India’s cause.
Without appropriating the tag of Indian national team, their own poodles will not care to watch Tendulkar and Dravid bat or Kumbles bowl.
Subhash Chandra promises an alternative universe, may be Tendulkar and the Mafiosi should join Indian cricket League to check out their star value.
And is it surprising that even a market savvy Chandra has embraced the India tag, shying away from christening his venture Zee Cricket League?