Naming ceremony

Cricketers are not known for their attention to detail. That particular discipline is left to pedants like us.

So it was something of a surprise when S Sreesanth decided he wanted a second bite at the cherry of the end-of-day media conference. Having taken 4 for 70, he was the designated Indian player to face the hacks and he said all the right things in a gentle inquisition that lasted all of ten minutes or so.

But after leaving his seat and made for the exit, he promptly returned to the microphone-laden table. “I want to make an announcement,” he said. Comments like that lead to wild and excitable speculation. Journalists could see their careers flashing before their eyes. Is this the big one?

“I would like everyone to know that my name is Sreesanth. That’s S-R-E-E-S-A-N-T-H. Thank you.”

You what? We don’t do jokes ten minutes before deadline. Was it a joke? Not a very funny one clearly. Apparently, there had been a misspelling of Mr Sreesanth’s name (there was a U instead of an A, if you must know). And he’s not amused. But the culprits have been apprehended and they will be facing him and Munaf Patel in the nets tomorrow.

This was all too much for members of Britain’s popular press for whom accuracy is, of course, paramount. What they couldn’t understand is why he was known by only one name, Sreesanth. “Is it Sri Sreesanth?” one asked. It was explained that his first name is very long and it does not shorten to Sri. “But we’ve got to call him something,” was the response.

I suggested that if Brazilian footballers could be known by a single name then perhaps Indian fast bowlers could be too. Maybe that’s all part of the BCCI’s deal with Nike.