It hardly took twelve hours for Sachin Tendulkar to accomplish what Ganguly’s fans were unable to carry out over the last fifteen months. Chappell was forced to declare his resignation after a morning newspaper – The Times Of India – carried Master Blasterâ?(tm)s angry reactions against the former’s unconfirmed allegations against the latter’s so-called poor attitude. A section of the Indian media had kept speculating for days now that Chappell was about to speak negatively against some of the senior India squad members, including Sachin, when he would meet with the BCCI functionaries in a proposed meeting on April 6th. Sachin decided to go public even before that could take place, thus pushing the Australian veteran in a no-win situation.

In the evening there were conflicting reports, if Sachin had spoken at all what various TV channels were continuing to say since the early morning. By the evening the Indian batting maestro had denied of having any rifts with Chappell or about any existing divisions within the Indian squad in a TV interview. However, much delay had taken place by that hour and Chappell had already extended his resignation. Surprisingly, the Australian chose to site family and personal reasons as the cause for his resigning, much against his own ways of disclosing all that he may know, since he overtook the task of coaching Team India members. This tell-telling contradiction of his own working styles suggested how pressurised he must have been after Sachin’s recent public utterances.

But, many would argue Chappell got what he deserved for, as Saurav Ganguly’s sacking is still fresh in their minds. The former’s email leakage had prompted the then BCCI set-up to rest Ganguly for almost an year, before the current crop of selectors could recall him only recently. Both the Jagmohan Dalmiya and his detracting factions within the Indian Cricket board were suspected of carrying out that email leakage. However, Chappell’s recent sms to one of his confident sports journalists in India, which spoke against some of the senior India players, is being sited as a proof of Chappell’s own involvement in the earlier leakage as well.

Whatever may the truth be, the last few days of internal bickering have taken the Indian cricket several steps backwards. First of all, Sachin shouldn’t have spoken publicly, when the need of the hour was to face the BCCI and answer the Indian coach’s arguments one by one. The ace Indian batting star has ensured in this case, knowingly or unknowingly, Chappell won’t be speaking up against him from the same strength that he could have done so earlier. The options left for Dravid are also fewer in this case. He may not continue as Team India’s captain after his reported failure of keeping the men in blue united.

The BCCI on its own part, proves out a very weak entity yet again that will have no courage of taking any firm decisions required in these circumstances. They will most probably try to maintain a status quo as long as their individual positions within the board were not threatened. On the other hand, it will be sometime before the common cricket fans in India might know, where was their country’s cricketing fortune headed now!

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