Erapalli Prasanna, regarded by many as the greatest off-spinner from the subcontinent, is one of the major catches of the Indian Cricket League (ICL). Haresh Pandya met him at his residence in Bangalore to find out what made him join the nascent league. In course of the hour-long interview, Prasanna revealed many things about the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) that he has been "totally disillusioned" about. Excerpts:
Why and how did you decide to join the ICL?
Firstly, to help the youngsters, especially the spinners, train properly because this is where my interest lies now. Secondly, despite my being based in Bangalore, and the National Cricket Academy (NCA) headquarters also in the same city, the BCCI never gave me even a day's coaching assignment there. Instead, I have done five days' coaching in Nagpur and Kolkata respectively.
My expertise was always there and yet I was given coaching assignments only in short spells in the past many years. There has never been a fully concentrated effort by the BCCI to produce spinners. Yet, I tried my best to do whatever I could and the end result is that you now have Piyush Chawla, Romesh Powar, Sunny Gupta, Swapnil Singh and several others, whom I coached at one time or the other. And all these boys are now surfacing.
Another thing is that 80 to 85 per cent of the boys coached by me are in the Ranji Trophy now. So with the success rate like this, and given the fact that I am very much in Bangalore, I was not utilised properly. But the ICL has given me a platform where I think I can contribute much and help produce quality spinners, who may serve the country.
Have you ever figured out why the BCCI did not make the most of your expertise?
I do not know. It was their decision. It was their choice.
Do you feel you have become a victim of favouritism?
Maybe. I really do not know exactly why the BCCI has shown scant interest in me. I find it hard to get convinced by the BCCI attitude towards me. Bishan Singh Bedi and I were the two leading spinners, and whosoever have been taught by us have always looked forward to coming back to us. It means our ability of coaching spinners is very high. But by sending me to Nagpur and to Kolkata for short periods, the NCA had sent a clear message that I was not required. If you look at it the other way round, the other signal I got was that the BCCI wanted to get rid of me.
Photograph: Jewella C Miranda
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