Even on a serious note, one can't help letting the chariots of imagination run wild and wild more so towards our northern frontiers. One thinks of unthinkable. Of perhaps the only compromises that would be amenable to all Indians across the board. Of swapping Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)?
The wishful thinking doesn't take long to undo itself. It's a different matter as to why would Pakistan ever take IHF in exchange of PCB? Perhaps not even with the topping of quid pro quo in Kashmir.The dying breed of Indian hockey fans well appreciates IHF is past where it can hurt the sport any further. For now, even PCB would be better than IHF. Come on, here we are, talking about a circus in iron like grip of Mr. Gill's never ending autocratic bungling. Almost for more than a decade and a half now. And it won't change, not in his lifetime at least (for a moment, let's forget there exists someone called Mr. Jyotikumaran). That's more than enough to put Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which is otherwise considered the ultimate circus renowned for its bungling in sports administration, to shame. Even there, the only permanent has been the incumbent at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, the official residence of Pakistan president, in Islamabad. And Pakistan has had enough Presidents in all these years, be they elected, nominated, appointed or self-appointed.
Pakistanis have never had such problems with PCB the way we have had with IHF. And that's where inherent strengths of PCB lay vis-Ã -vis IHF. Let's take them one by one. First, as said before, the organizational hierarchy. The CEO of PCB holds his office at the goodwill of the President of Pakistan, who's the ex-officio of PCB. Not like our IHF where Mr. Gill is almost like an extra constitutional authority. Glued to IHF throne till eternity.
Second, PCB hasn't hesitated in taking a backseat when Pakistan and more so its president felt their team captain and team administration have it in them to fight it out. Recall those Imran years'. IHF? Let's not get into it. Third strength of PCB, perhaps aligned to the second one, never ever has any PCB CEO has had the audacity to sack half the side along with its victorious captain. IHF has been there, done that. Even if take the recent Younis-Yusuf saga, it was all about captaincy and vice-captaincy, who getting what with no threat to their place in the side. And ultimately, it's Shaharyar Khan, the PCB CEO who lost his job for the crisis, not Younis-Yusuf.
In mathematical terms, any number divided by zero is infinity. Even we are to give whatever minimum points to PCB on whatever parameters, IHF would always manage a big fat zero. Bottom line being PCB would come out infinitely better than IHF.
And whatever be it, one can't ignore this very basic fact. Every controversial doing-undoing of PCB or with PCB has had the effect of a prevalent divided public opinion in Pakistan. Very unlike IHF which has continuously invited popular public wrath. It's not there are no parallels between the two sports bodies. Both have had coaches in Miandad and Bhaskaran who have been on and off after a dismal performance by the respective teams (and sometimes even in good times). It's a different matter though, PCB scores here too. Miandad has had to quit and resume his job subject to his clout with the incumbents at PCB. Here at IHF, Bhaskaran has lost and regained his job subject to whims and fancies of our very own Super cop of Punjab.
With all these glaring shortcomings to do with IHF, we can't hope to get even a moth-eaten and truncated PCB, forget anything better. What we can certainly wish for is some Kerry Pecker to come to our rescue and take Indian hockey out of its current dire straits. Premier Hockey League (PHL) could just have been the perfect beginning. Alas PHL is organized very much in concert with IHF.
(Nikhil Khanna is a Chartered Accountant working with a global multi-disciplinary consulting and accounting firm)About the AuthorNikhil Khanna a...Read Morefirst published:January 08, 2007, 15:31 ISTlast updated:January 08, 2007, 15:31 IST
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How long can we continue to bay for blood of the Indian hockey's pallbearer duo of Mr. K.P.S.Gill and Jyotikumaran? High time we grow up. The two have been actively contributing towards what even a sports minister can't do in full public glare. That of paving way for Cricket, our national obsession, to be officially conferred with the honor of being our National Sport.
Even on a serious note, one can't help letting the chariots of imagination run wild and wild more so towards our northern frontiers. One thinks of unthinkable. Of perhaps the only compromises that would be amenable to all Indians across the board. Of swapping Indian Hockey Federation (IHF) with Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB)?
The wishful thinking doesn't take long to undo itself. It's a different matter as to why would Pakistan ever take IHF in exchange of PCB? Perhaps not even with the topping of quid pro quo in Kashmir.The dying breed of Indian hockey fans well appreciates IHF is past where it can hurt the sport any further. For now, even PCB would be better than IHF. Come on, here we are, talking about a circus in iron like grip of Mr. Gill's never ending autocratic bungling. Almost for more than a decade and a half now. And it won't change, not in his lifetime at least (for a moment, let's forget there exists someone called Mr. Jyotikumaran). That's more than enough to put Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), which is otherwise considered the ultimate circus renowned for its bungling in sports administration, to shame. Even there, the only permanent has been the incumbent at the Aiwan-e-Sadr, the official residence of Pakistan president, in Islamabad. And Pakistan has had enough Presidents in all these years, be they elected, nominated, appointed or self-appointed.
Pakistanis have never had such problems with PCB the way we have had with IHF. And that's where inherent strengths of PCB lay vis-Ã -vis IHF. Let's take them one by one. First, as said before, the organizational hierarchy. The CEO of PCB holds his office at the goodwill of the President of Pakistan, who's the ex-officio of PCB. Not like our IHF where Mr. Gill is almost like an extra constitutional authority. Glued to IHF throne till eternity.
Second, PCB hasn't hesitated in taking a backseat when Pakistan and more so its president felt their team captain and team administration have it in them to fight it out. Recall those Imran years'. IHF? Let's not get into it. Third strength of PCB, perhaps aligned to the second one, never ever has any PCB CEO has had the audacity to sack half the side along with its victorious captain. IHF has been there, done that. Even if take the recent Younis-Yusuf saga, it was all about captaincy and vice-captaincy, who getting what with no threat to their place in the side. And ultimately, it's Shaharyar Khan, the PCB CEO who lost his job for the crisis, not Younis-Yusuf.
In mathematical terms, any number divided by zero is infinity. Even we are to give whatever minimum points to PCB on whatever parameters, IHF would always manage a big fat zero. Bottom line being PCB would come out infinitely better than IHF.
And whatever be it, one can't ignore this very basic fact. Every controversial doing-undoing of PCB or with PCB has had the effect of a prevalent divided public opinion in Pakistan. Very unlike IHF which has continuously invited popular public wrath. It's not there are no parallels between the two sports bodies. Both have had coaches in Miandad and Bhaskaran who have been on and off after a dismal performance by the respective teams (and sometimes even in good times). It's a different matter though, PCB scores here too. Miandad has had to quit and resume his job subject to his clout with the incumbents at PCB. Here at IHF, Bhaskaran has lost and regained his job subject to whims and fancies of our very own Super cop of Punjab.
With all these glaring shortcomings to do with IHF, we can't hope to get even a moth-eaten and truncated PCB, forget anything better. What we can certainly wish for is some Kerry Pecker to come to our rescue and take Indian hockey out of its current dire straits. Premier Hockey League (PHL) could just have been the perfect beginning. Alas PHL is organized very much in concert with IHF.
(Nikhil Khanna is a Chartered Accountant working with a global multi-disciplinary consulting and accounting firm)
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