Kolkata: The Indian Premier League (IPL) Governing Council on Thursday decided to felicitate Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Virender Sehwag during the opening ceremony of the cash rich league in Hyderabad on April 5. These players were known as the Fab Five for their enormous contributions to Indian cricket.
“The decision was taken at the GC meeting that five legends of Indian cricket — Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman and Virender Sehwag will be felicitated during the opening ceremony in Hyderabad on April 5,” IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla told reporters after the completion of the IPL GC meet. Out of the above mentioned five players, four have captained India, with Ganguly arguably enjoying more success than the others.
What is quite intriguing though is to note that former captain and current national coach Anil Kumble, an equal contributor along with these five during Indian cricket’s golden phase, has not been included in the felicitation list. Kumble is the only Indian leg spinner to lead India. His first series as captain of Indian Test team was a historic three-match series against Pakistan played in India, which the team India had won 1-0.
Currently Kumble is the Indian national team coach and under his guidance a new look team India led by Virat Kohli is going places. Thus the exclusion of Kumble is quite surprising indeed given his contribution to Indian cricket then and now. More than surprising it is shocking because Kumble still is hailed as the biggest match-winner with the ball for India. The decision of the IPL GC is baffling but it by no way takes any credit away from Kumble who has been a pivot for Indian cricket.
Meanwhile on Diana Edulji’s request, the former India women’s cricketers, who will be getting one-time ex-gratia payment, will be handed over their cheques at their local IPL venue during the matches.
(With inputs from PTI)