Mahendra's chance to be his own man

Already, the new year has rung in change. England have lost a Test and South Africa have won one; Ricky Ponting has left an uncertain year behind and scored his first hundred as captain; Bangladesh, after four years of wretched existence in Test cricket, have found solace, however temporary, in their first Test victory; Muttiah Muralitharan has played a match in Australia, shaken hands with John Howard, and has promised to return for more; and, for better or worse, the BCCI finally has an officially elected president.

Unfortunately for Ranbir Singh Mahendra, who has been given a provisional reprieve by the Indian Supreme Court - contrary to euphoric exultations from Jagmohan Dalmiya hours after the judgment was delivered, it is not a blanket clearance and matters pertaining to the election will continue to be heard in the courts - he will be continue to be burdened by his reputation as "Dalmiya's dummy". At his first interaction with the media after the judgment, he tried unsuccessfully to shake off the tag. "I won the election with his help, but ..." In his long years with the BCCI, there hasn't been much to recommend him, nothing that he has said after winning the election betrays a vision for the game. But the only way for Mahendra to show that he is his own man is by acting like one.

It is futile to expect radical changes from Mahendra. Worthier men than he have failed, or, more likely, have refused to buck the system. The system serves them well. But Mahendra has an immediate opportunity to serve Indian cricket that will require no ruffling of feathers or shaking the establishment. India need a new physio, and, even more importantly, they need to make a decision about the coach. John Wright's current contract lasts until the end of the Pakistan series, and there are indications that he has had enough. Wright's contribution to Indian cricket has been colossal and if he is feeling worn out, the board must find out if it has been caused only by the attendant stresses of the job. If indeed Wright must move on, then his successor must be found now, and the temptation to hire one of India's own must be resisted. Television is a far more lucrative and hassle-free profession for India's most eligible contenders to be seriously interested in coaching, and it is a job for a man who has both passion and know-how.

It is reasonable to expect that the forthcoming visit by Pakistan will now take centre-stage on the board's agenda. India's tour of Pakistan last year was among the most memorable in recent history and, as Mahendra himself has said, India must respond similarly. Which makes it even more imperative that India sort out the position of the national coach quickly and without intrigue. Names have been floating in the air for a few months, and now Dav Whatmore's name has been added to the list of probables. It's just not right that the Indian team should go into an important series under a cloud of speculation.

Speaking of Whatmore, while Bangladesh should enjoy their first Test win, it can't have been lost on him that it would have been catastrophic had it been otherwise. But other than breaking Bangladesh's barren run in Test cricket, the only thing the victory underlines is that the basement of international cricket is even lower. It is difficult to fathom on what grounds Zimbabwe have been brought back to the Test arena. The reason the ICC advanced for cancelling Test tours by Australia and England to Zimbabwe wasn't the dubious selection policies of the ZCU or the victimisation of white players, but that Zimbabwe at that point were not strong enough to compete in Tests. Just what has changed, apart from the fact that Zimbabwe have added a couple of white players to their team to convince those who run the game that they are ready to be brought back? India are due to play them in a Test series later this year, and it's difficult to say what else will achieved from that tour apart from Test cricket getting a bad name.