No Mandira for Ten Sports, and 200% for Miandad

First, news that will bring enormous relief to cricket fans all over India: Mandira Bedi will not be part of the television coverage for this series. At one level, that is obvious: she is contracted by Set Max, while Ten Sports will broadcast this tour. But a report in The Times of India makes it clear that the concept that Ms Bedi embodies, of the cheap glamorisation of cricket coverage, will not be indulged in by Ten Sports.

Sharmishta Rijhwani, the managing director of Taj Television, the holding company of Ten Sports, said: "We will concentrate only on the real thing. We don't think the viewers will be interested in too much masala or distractions during such a historic tour."

The commentators lined up by Ten Sports include Ian Chappell, Ian Healy, Dean Jones and Robin Jackman. Their halftime break will feature a show called Straight Drive, hosted by Sanjay Manjrekar, with guests such as Imran Khan and Navjot Sidhu.

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According to The News, Rameez Raja has confirmed that he will be a commentator for Ten Sports during the India-Pakistan series. This has been a controversial issue, given that Raja is the chief executive of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), and his commentating on the series seems like a conflict of interest.

"Yes I will be doing the commentary," Raja said, "and there is no ambiguity over this issue. There is a clear understanding about this. Commentary is my livelihood and I want to be in the commentators box for the India series because I think I have done a good job of presenting Pakistan's point of view and positively promoting Pakistan cricket in this role."

It is safe to say that Richie Benaud, who believes so strongly in the objectivity of the commentators, would not approve.

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The News also quotes Javed Miandad laying down the parameters for selection to the Pakistan side. "Any player not giving 200%," he says, "will not be considered." Rumours abound that players who were earlier giving only 150% are now beginning to work harder.

Miandad also emphasised the importance of discipline, in all aspects of the game. "The players need to individually work on their fielding drills. Secondly our bowlers must give extra time to reduce their habit of giving away too many no-balls or wides. We will ask the selection committee not to consider any such player in future who is not willing to work hard himself in these two areas."

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Chandu Borde, who used to be India's chief selector, has written a column for the Press Trust of India, stating that India's chances depends on the fitness of their bowlers. Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra are all nursing injuries, but while Borde acknowledged the importance of their being fit, he also praised the back-up bowlers.

"The most heartening aspect of the Australian tour," Borde said, "was the emergence of two new seamers in Irfan Pathan and Lakshmipathy Balaji, who shouldered the responsibility after the seniors were sidelined with injuries."

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The Dawn carried a report which had Pakistan's interior minister, Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat, assuring reporters that the security for India's tour would be stringent. "There are going to be no loopholes in security," he said, "and the Rangers apart from police will be mobilised to provide a complete umbrella to the touring team." He also said that a senior superintendent of police would accompany the Indian team at all times.

Hayat also said that visas would be given to Indian fans on the basis of tickets bought. "We expect around 8000-10,000 Indian fans altogether during the Indian cricket series and our High Commission in Delhi has been instructed to issue visas to ticket-holders in a smooth manner."

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The Press Trust of India reports that the board has yet to receive any communication from their bevy of injured players regarding their fitness. SK Nair, secretary of the BCCI, said: "I have asked five cricketers -- Zaheer Khan, Mohammed Kaif, Ashish Nehra, Ajit Agarkar and Anil Kumble -- to produce their fitness certificates before the selection committee meeting on March 3rd. But so far I have not heard from any of them."

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After the controversy over Wasim Akram helping the Indian bowlers, The News now reports that Akram will be giving lectures on bowling at the training camp organised for the Pakistani probables. "I spoke to Wasim today and he confirmed he would be happy to visit the camp and hold lectures practically and theoretically for the bowlers," said a PCB source. "Wasim said he had been busy with his commentary work with ESPN/Star Sports in the last few months but now he was available to work with the bowlers in the camp."