• Past players at roundtable discussion

A group of illustrious past cricketers during a recent cricketing forum held in Colombo had unequivocally expressed their frank view that if the nation’s most popular sport is to be placed back on the path to sustained success, then the head of state himself will need to get to the root of the issue.

They had conveyed their candid opinion that the leader of the country will need to take the bull by the horns and introduce the desired reforms to the requisite areas of the game here, instead of striving for temporary fixes such as formation of interim committees.

These cricketers who had distinguished themselves for country, club and school during their playing days in the 1980s and 1990s, had also cast serious doubt at this forum.

This was over whether any long-lasting solutions could be found to the debilitating ills plaguing the sport without the direct input of the head of state. 

They had been adamant that the head of state has to take cognisance of the sport’s dire situation like he does for all other critical sectors in this country, and then take decisions accordingly, if cricket is to be placed back on the path to regular success.

“This talk of setting up interim committees and then delineating the responsibilities to different individuals with the current status quo in place will not get this country anywhere. The head of state has to dive into this river and see how far its waters have been muddied and then he alone has to think of ways and means of cleaning up this river for once and for all,” the past players had commented.

They had also said the President has to realise the importance of cricket in the modern global landscape, and consider it more than just a team sport.

“Cricket has far outreached its impact of being a mere team sport from the days when we played. Today it is a foreign exchange earner for all ICC member nations and it currently caters to the mass market. And it is in this light that the system has to be overhauled to meet those requirements. This process of overhauling it has to be done by the leader of the country and not by one or two individuals or by the sports minister or the sports ministry,” the past greats had remarked.

Asked whether any of them were ready to step into the arena to revamp the system they had politely declined the offer. They had insisted that they were not willing to have their image sullied and waste time over what they collectively claimed as ‘temporary fixes’ or ad-hoc measures, being implemented. 

They had insisted that this has been the norm rather than the exception in the recent past, without the President himself playing a hands-on role in such a module.

“This disease has to be cured by the President himself and unfortunately cricket has now come to that stage in this country. He has to examine the patient himself and then administer the medicine accordingly or it will die a natural and slow death,” they had claimed.

The Daily Morning Sports has opted to withhold the names of the distinguished past cricketers who took part at the recent roundtable discussion, lest they could be branded as among some of those seeking to enter the cricket administration through the backdoor and for privileges and prestige.