OLD SCHOOL NEW BEGINNINGS

GANESH is a humble, unassuming man. But for someone who doesn’t know what he does for a living, he might come across as a man in the habit of name-dropping. In the living room of his home, he speaks about Sachin Tendulkar’s love for dahi vada. While showing off his book collection, he talks about Javagal Srinath’s tendency to borrow Cricket literature and forget about it. Steve Waugh isn’t a mere writer on his bookshelf, but someone who he has accompanied on the philanthropic cricketer’s trip to the home of spastic children. He proudly displays a mini autograph bat with signatures of Denis Lillee, Jeff Thomson, Brett Lee and Michael Holding. For effect, he adds, “there aren’t many bats around the world with so many Test wickets on them.”

As one looks at the present occupants of this house of pacers noisily enjoying the lunch in the dinning room lined with pictures of the legends of the game, not one face looks familiar. They are promising juniors or Ranji players, who dream of emulating several internationals who have sat at the same table in this 20-year-old institution. Fourteen MRF products have played for India and international stars such as Chaminda Vaas, Mohammad Asif, Mitchell Johnson and Simon Jones have fond memories of their trips here.

But now, the foundation finds itself at the crossroads. 2008 has brought about a few changes. Aussie legend Denis Lillee trains the bunch of fringe players, but TA Sekar, the chief coach and the face of the foundation in India since inception, isn’t by his side. Earlier this year, Sekar parted ways with MRF as GMR signed him to coach the Delhi Daredevils IPL side.

Also missing from Lillee’s huddle are India’s national team pacers, who usually turned to MRF whenever they were out of the team, dealing with bowling flaws or preparing for the season ahead. The BCCI’s recent diktat to its players happens to be reason for this. MRF is now out of bounds. The cash-rich body, after feeding from the fertile pace factory during its modest days, has altered the travel destination to Bangalore now. Ambitious plans are afoot at the National Cricket Academy these days.

... contd.