STHALEKAR’S VEDA TWEET HIGHLIGHTS NEED FOR PLAYERS’ BODY

Former Australia captain Lisa Sthalekar’s charge that the Indian board has not reached out to the bereaved Veda Krishnamurthy has again highlighted the need for a body for active Indian cricketers. India’s only players’ body, set up following sweeping reforms suggested in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) by the Supreme Court, is for retired players. “It is one of the big limitations of our body… All our energies and interactions with the board are focused for the benefit of retired cricketers, both men and women,” said Yajuvendra Singh, director of Indian Cricketers Association.

“As a past player the ACA (Australian Cricketers’ Association) have reached out daily to see how we are and provided all kinds of services. If there was a need for a player association in (India) surely it is now,” said Sthalekar, 41, the first woman to reach 1000 runs and 100 wickets.

India and Karnataka allrounder Krishnamurthy’s mother and elder sister have died from Covid-19. Krishnamurthy is now staying with Karnataka cricketer Akanksha Kohli in Bengaluru.

On Saturday, Sthalekar tweeted that BCCI had not got in touch with Krishnamurthy. “Whilst not selecting Veda for the upcoming series may be justified from their point of view, what angers me the most is that as a contracted player she has not received any communication from BCCI, just to even check how she is coping,” she said. Now a pundit and in the Hall of Fame of the International Cricket Council, Sthalekar was referring to Krishnamurthy being left out of the tour of England. BCCI president Sourav Ganguly and secretary Jay Shah could not be reached for a comment. The Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) said it had sent a condolence message to the player. “The stress, anxiety, fear and grief that many players have experienced through this pandemic will take its toll on them as individuals and inadvertently affect the game,” said Sthalekar.

“Veda is too numb to feel what is happening. She has not even met her family after that. Ideally, BCCI should have at least asked about her well-being. That’s what good organisations do,” said Kohli.