Fans vent their fury after Test moved out ‘without apology’

Express News Service

CHENNAI: The Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people, lives in Dharamsala. Among his many principles, he values compassion very highly. Unfortunately, that was missing in the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) statement on Monday morning.

The cricket body sent out a 76-word statement to inform the world that they had officially moved the third Test from Dharamsala to Indore. It had a sponsor plug but it didn’t even have an acknowledgement of the inconvenience this move will cause the fans (unlike most other Tests in India, Dharamsala’s geographic location in the foothills of the Himalayas makes it a very attractive tourist destination with cricket adding a nice backdrop).

Scores of Indians, both from within and outside the country, had already booked flight tickets and sorted out their accommodation as soon as the itinerary dropped on December 8. Some of them have lost five figure sums and are staring at an uncertain immediate future apropos recovering at least some of those costs from hotel chains or Airbnbs.

Mahesh Sethuraman, based out of Singapore, had finalised his travel plans a few days after the original itinerary had dropped. “We (his friends and him) finalized the trip immediately after the itinerary was published,” he told this daily. “I booked the leaves as soon as the itinerary was announced. In fact, I had to force my office to reschedule some of our quarterly business review meetings to accommodate my cricket trip.”

One thing people who finalised their plans months in advance can’t understand is why the board didnt take the condition of the outfield into cognisance when they announced the venues in December. Work was going on then and the winter was only going to get worse so chances of getting it prepared in time was always going to be a question mark. Bengaluru-based Navin Madhavan, part of a big travelling group, raised this point. “The BCCI statement was definitely a joke and an insult to any Indian cricket fan,” he told this daily. “Outfield conditions and pitch readiness aren’t a mystery that is hidden from the board till two weeks before the Test. The statement doesn’t even contain an apology to fans because that likely indicates that this isn’t a community that they care the least bit for in their decisions.”

Mahesh echoed the same sentiments. “I didn’t expect anything better from the BCCI. I am more disappointed with the utter lack of concern when they planned the itinerary. First of all they announce the itinerary so late which makes it difficult to plan. They have found a new bottom to sink from the existing pathetic standards of how they treat their fans.”

While Navin jokes about a potential class action suit because ‘the travelling party included lawyers’, he has lost about `12-15,000. Others in the group have lost more. “I have personally lost around `7000 on travel, likely another Rs 5-7000 on stay that we are still negotiating. There are people who have lost Rs 30-50000 because of international trips being planned around this and all.”

The experience means he will reconsider future cricket-based trips within India. “On travel for future Tests, obviously I may say no now. Maybe for something special, like a player retirement or a series with rivals like a great Australian side (or on the off chance that a Pakistan team visits India).”

Likewise for Mahesh. “I am not making another cricket specific trip to India again. I might watch a match in Chennai or Bengaluru because I always have personal reasons to go to those cities but nowhere else.”

<br /> CHENNAI: The Dalai Lama, the spiritual leader of the Tibetan people, lives in Dharamsala. Among his many principles, he values compassion very highly. Unfortunately, that was missing in the Board of Control for Cricket in India’s (BCCI) statement on Monday morning.</p> <p>The cricket body sent out a 76-word statement to inform the world that they had officially moved the third Test from Dharamsala to Indore. It had a sponsor plug but it didn’t even have an acknowledgement of the inconvenience this move will cause the fans (unlike most other Tests in India, Dharamsala’s geographic location in the foothills of the Himalayas makes it a very attractive tourist destination with cricket adding a nice backdrop).</p> <!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 2.0.85 --> <div class="quads-location quads-ad241053 " id="quads-ad241053" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0"> <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.2.0.85 Content AdSense async --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="3250057321"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script> <!-- end WP QUADS --> </div> <p>Scores of Indians, both from within and outside the country, had already booked flight tickets and sorted out their accommodation as soon as the itinerary dropped on December 8. Some of them have lost five figure sums and are staring at an uncertain immediate future apropos recovering at least some of those costs from hotel chains or Airbnbs.</p> <p>Mahesh Sethuraman, based out of Singapore, had finalised his travel plans a few days after the original itinerary had dropped. “We (his friends and him) finalized the trip immediately after the itinerary was published,” he told this daily. “I booked the leaves as soon as the itinerary was announced. In fact, I had to force my office to reschedule some of our quarterly business review meetings to accommodate my cricket trip.”</p> <!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 2.0.85 --> <div class="quads-location quads-ad241053 " id="quads-ad241053" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0"> <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.2.0.85 Content AdSense async --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="3250057321"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script> <!-- end WP QUADS --> </div> <p>One thing people who finalised their plans months in advance can’t understand is why the board didnt take the condition of the outfield into cognisance when they announced the venues in December. Work was going on then and the winter was only going to get worse so chances of getting it prepared in time was always going to be a question mark. Bengaluru-based Navin Madhavan, part of a big travelling group, raised this point. “The BCCI statement was definitely a joke and an insult to any Indian cricket fan,” he told this daily. “Outfield conditions and pitch readiness aren’t a mystery that is hidden from the board till two weeks before the Test. The statement doesn’t even contain an apology to fans because that likely indicates that this isn’t a community that they care the least bit for in their decisions.”</p> <p>Mahesh echoed the same sentiments. “I didn’t expect anything better from the BCCI. I am more disappointed with the utter lack of concern when they planned the itinerary. First of all they announce the itinerary so late which makes it difficult to plan. They have found a new bottom to sink from the existing pathetic standards of how they treat their fans.”</p> <!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 2.0.85 --> <div class="quads-location quads-ad241053 " id="quads-ad241053" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0"> <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.2.0.85 Content AdSense async --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="3250057321"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script> <!-- end WP QUADS --> </div> <p>While Navin jokes about a potential class action suit because ‘the travelling party included lawyers’, he has lost about `12-15,000. Others in the group have lost more. “I have personally lost around `7000 on travel, likely another Rs 5-7000 on stay that we are still negotiating. There are people who have lost Rs 30-50000 because of international trips being planned around this and all.”</p> <p>The experience means he will reconsider future cricket-based trips within India. “On travel for future Tests, obviously I may say no now. Maybe for something special, like a player retirement or a series with rivals like a great Australian side (or on the off chance that a Pakistan team visits India).”</p> <!-- WP QUADS Content Ad Plugin v. 2.0.85 --> <div class="quads-location quads-ad241053 " id="quads-ad241053" style="float:none;margin:0px 3px 3px 3px;padding:0px 0px 0px 0px;" data-lazydelay="0"> <!-- WP QUADS - Quick AdSense Reloaded v.2.0.85 Content AdSense async --> <ins class="adsbygoogle" style="display:block;" data-ad-format="auto" data-ad-client="ca-pub-7550963679842137" data-ad-slot="3250057321"></ins> <script> (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});</script> <!-- end WP QUADS --> </div> <p>Likewise for Mahesh. “I am not making another cricket specific trip to India again. I might watch a match in Chennai or Bengaluru because I always have personal reasons to go to those cities but nowhere else.”<br />