Matter of pride for Bengal

Raju Mukherjee writes on Gautam’s email expose

The media and the so-called experts are crying hoarse about who leaked Chappell’s advice to Ganguly to step down and who leaked Chappell’s e-mail to BCCI. The significant point is not who leaked the statement and the e-mail, but why were such untruths said and written at all? This is of much greater relevance.

For instance, in a crime is it not more important to know who the criminal actually is, rather than who leaked the identity of the criminal? This is precisely the reason why the fictional detectives like Felu-da and Sherlock Holmes are such popular figures. Unfortunately the media coverage, especially outside Bengal, has been extremely one –side and has clearly failed to grasp the basic point of concern.

Their main worry should have been who has given the India coach the authority to utter frivolous allegations against the India captain. The charges levelled against Ganguly were not cricketing criticisms but character assassination.


Editor can be described as the first man to bring altogether a very different dimension in Sports Journalism. A flavour that we were missing in it for years.

Instead of praising the journalist who expose what is known in journalistic language as ‘the scoop’, some people are trying to find fault with the reporter. Basically these highly critical people are media persons themselves and they are unhappy with the expose because they could not get the news first. Just another case of professional jealousy. I personally would like to congratulate the concerned sports journalist – Gautam Bhattacharya of ABP – for the way he exposed the hypocrisy of Greg Chappell. It should be a matter of pride to everyone in Bengal that a conscientious journalist from this province did something wonderful for the cause of India cricket by exposing the falsehood of a white man

Here it may be pertinent to point out that during the Bodyline series in Australia in 1932-33, there was an exchange of words inside the dressing room between the Australia captain, Bill Woodfull, and the England (then MCC) manager Pelham Warner. The verbal exchange became international Headlines. Even today thereis no end to the debate about the incident actually took place. Here in India today, ironically we are debating not the incident (fiction-full e-mail), but who brought the matter to public notice! As if it is the detective’s fault that he has been able to pinpoint the criminal!

The BCCI has taken a bold step to highlight that Greg Chappell unfairly accused sourav Ganguly. The Review Committee Of BCCI comprising Dalmiya Faking injury’ is “far from the truth.” Now, that Greg Chappell has been conclusively proved to have lied in his e-mail by the team doctor in respect of Ganguly’s injury, he should resign from his post immediately out of self-respect.

After this episode, Chappell’s credibility has totally vanished. He has no moral authority to stay on as a coach. How can one have a teacher who has the habit of speaking lies? If Chappell still clings on to the ….