And so ticket scams have been brushed under the carpet, balance sheets are closely guarded secrets, stadiums continue to be mediocre and officials who do things that hinder India’s progress towards becoming a cricketing power continue in office long after their incompetence has become common knowledge. Which is why I must reiterate my great desire; that cricket be slowly corporatised so that first all limited-overs cricket and in course of time, all cricket is run by franchises. I am not suggesting that all corporate houses are perfect or that everything the BCCI and its affiliate bodies do is wrong but corporate entities have to worry about things like image, return on investment, profitability and the consumer and often when that happens, you are forced to be right most times because otherwise you don’t survive.

Related to this, more as a second cousin than as a brother, is the issue of taking the moral high ground with discipline. Harbhajan Singh has now been issued a five-match ban and I think he will be relieved, more than anything else. I am not sure I agree entirely with penalising a person twice for the same offence but I am absolutely certain I disagree with the manner in which the most recent investigation was conducted.

Those that sit in judgement on moral issues, or those related to conduct, must ideally do so from a position where no fingers can be pointed at them. That is why a dishonest judge is a menace to society. So, without passing judgement on the quantum of punishment, we need to ask whether Harbhajan got a fair trial; whether those that questioned his conduct were men of unquestionable conduct themselves.

... contd.