Bishan Singh Bedi

I was recently reading some comments from B. S. Bedi and to say the truth, they astound me. He criticizes Murali, Shoaib and other bowlers of chucking. He vehemently says, "When a bowler is chucking, he's referred to panels and the home cricket board. Why not do the same for a wide or no-ball, then?" His one remark sums it all up, "Cheating is a subcontinental trait." Chucking, I would have given some thought, but cheating? Now, why doesn't he comment on the underarm ball that was bowled? Why doesn't he comment on when all fielders were placed at the boundary to stop a four? What about when the English started Bodyline bowling? No, those don't count as cheating? He freely calls Murali and Shoaib chucker (and has gone on to the limit of calling Murali a javelin and a shotput thrower, both). He also says he doesn't have anything personal against Murali. Why exactly does he then keep on targetting him? No doubt he doesn't have anything personal against Murali, but why not make general statements against chucking instead of targetting Murali? Of course, the thing that amuses me most is that he never mentions Brett Lee or for that matter any other Australian or Britisher, or South African. Why? They'll take things seriously? Mr. Bedi, if you want to live up to your comments, show some guts and criticize these as well. In the Wisden Award Ceremony, he made a complete fool of himself by asking John Buchanan, if he had made the team or the team had made him? What exactly is he trying to do? Get attention? The day, B.S. Bedi dare target a Britisher, Australian, or a South African, I'll recognize his guts. But somehow I don't think he will. Till then, he just appears to be a exasperated attention seeker to me.

Perhaps, I'm at fault. I'm taking him too seriously. After all, Sri Lankan team manager Chandra Shaffter summed up general feeling when he said: "Not very many people take Bedi seriously, I think he thrives on controversies and that's his style." So, thats what it has come to.