When Rohit Sharma walked out for the toss with David Warner in the last match of the IPL’s league stage, he added a dash of unexpected controversy, and also put the BCCI and Indian selectors in a quandary. Wasn’t Sharma omitted from the Indian squads (T20, ODI, Test) selected only a few days earlier because his injury did not look like it would heal in time for the tour of Australia? If he was fit to play the IPL, then why wasn’t Sharma—arguably the best white-ball batsman in the country—in the teams for the tour?
It was assumed that his injury was serious, and that he was unlikely to assist Mumbai Indians any more in the IPL. In this period, when the teams for Australia were chosen, Sharma also received advice from several quarters, some of them very important. Chief coach Ravi Shastri in a television interview cautioned him against making a premature return that could cause long-term harm. Shastri cited his own example. During the 1991-92 tour of Australia, he suffered a knee injury during the Test series, returned home, underwent an operation, went back eager to play the World Cup and broke down almost immediately. Shastri claimed he lost three-four years of cricket due to his impatience.
BCCI chief Sourav Ganguly echoed Shastri’s advice, adding that the two Sharmas left out of the squads (fast bowler Ishant is the other) would be monitored by the Board’s medical team, and depending on recovery, would be on the first flight to Australia. It is reasonable to assume that both Shastri and Ganguly were speaking from information they would have got from the BCCI medical team, on whose advice the selectors had not chosen Sharma for Australia. Sharma’s participation in the match against Surnrisers threw the cat among the pigeons.
Asked before the match about his injury, Sharma said he felt fit. He didn’t make too many runs, but fielded right through, and after the match reiterated that he was feeling fit. His statements, apart from wrong-footing Shastri and Ganguly, made the findings of the BCCI medical team questionable and obliquely also seemed to challenge the team selection for Australia. So what’s going on? From the outside, it would appear communication between the player and the BCCI has been an issue. Was Sharma informed that the medical team of the Board had found him unfit, and that he would therefore be ineligible for selection immediately?
The player himself would obviously be eager to tour Australia and also play in the IPL. Sharma is at the peak of his prowess and has led Mumbai Indians to four titles, the most by any captain. One more title would make his achievements even more stellar. Moreover, sportspersons crave competitive challenges as much as accolades, records and such. Not being in the thick of action for long periods can lead to existential woes, so to speak. The franchise’s concern can’t be overlooked either. They would be loath to not have their leading player on the field in the IPL and would obviously seek the best medical assistance towards this end.
The BCCI’s position becomes piquant in such a situation. The IPL is a domestic tournament, so it can’t intrude into the affairs of the franchises unless it is critical enough for direct intervention. For instance, a player involved in county cricket could be pulled out of the assignment by the BCCI (though even this wouldn’t be easy), but intervention would become unfeasible when dealing with IPL franchises.
Fundamentally it is the discrepancy between the medical teams of Sharma’s franchise and the BCCI in assessing the extent of his injury problem that is at the crux.
How much time would be needed for his recovery as well as the risk factor in playing immediately are the two most important considerations on which the two medical teams have differed widely. The BCCI medical team did not clear him even for the Test series against Australia that starts only in late December. The Mumbai Indians medical team did not see a risk in Sharma playing the IPL’s last league match and the play-offs. So how can the dilemma be resolved? Differences in assessments by diverse medical teams is not uncommon, and not just in sport.
Since these assessments are based on science and not whim, fresh examinations can throw up new findings and data points that take the case forward. So revision of opinion is also not uncommon.
However, while the basis for reconciliation on such matters should necessarily be based on science, the process of selection has to go through protocol that has the BCCI at the top of the hierarchy in Indian cricket. While franchises are free to follow their own medical teams in assessing their members, for the same player to be eligible to play for India, they have to be green-flagged by the Board’s medical team to avoid chaos and conflicts.
The issue now boils down to the BCCI’s medical team taking a fresh call considering that Sharma has made it back to the field and feels reasonably confident of his fitness, which is half the battle won for a sportsperson. The other half comes from objective tallying of medical opinions and reaching a conclusion that works in the best interest of the player concerned and Indian cricket.
Ayaz Memon
Mumbai-based journalist writing on sports, society and other matters (amemon1@gmail.com)