By Jaideep Sarin, IANS
Chandigarh : Indian vice captain and ‘Sixer King’ Yuvraj Singh seemed eager to make a statement in his hometown, driving to the team hotel in a bright yellow BMW convertible worth Rs 6.6 million when Indians arrived here for Monday’s fourth one-day international against Australia.
Given the huge surge in his popularity after smashing six sixes in one over in the Twenty20 World Championships in South Africa barely a fortnight ago, Yuvi separated from the Indian team immediately on arrival at the airport Saturday morning.
Later the southpaw joined the team at the Taj hotel here, flashing his new car that his friends claimed was specially brought from Gurgaon, where Yuvi now lives, only the day before his arrival here.
The off-the-field style statement obviously had its effect as fans, waiting at the hotel to catch a glimpse of their favourite cricketers, went into frenzy when they saw the flamboyant cricketer arrive.
Saturday evening, Yuvi shared some emotional moments with his father Yograj Singh, a former international cricketer. The occasion was a function organised at Yuvi’s old school here to honour him for the six sixes in the Twenty20.
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A family ‘affair’
Chandigarh: The ODI being played in Chandigarh’s Sector 16 stadium has ruffled feathers in one of the biggest political families in the region.
While the match is being organised by Haryana Cricket Association (HCA), which is headed by former Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Ranbir Singh Mahendra, his sister-in-law and the state’s tourism and sports minister Kiran Chaudhary is angry with him for holding the match in Chandigarh instead of his own state to which the India-Australia tie rightfully belonged.
Both are Congress legislators in Haryana and belong to former chief minister Bansi Lal’s family. While Mahendra is Bansi Lal’s son, Chaudhary is the widow of late Surender Singh, Bansi Lal’s older son and political heir.
Both are bitter political rivals, and this became evident more two years ago when Chaudhary became a minister despite Mahendra aspiring to succeed his brother soon after he was killed in a helicopter crash.
The duo has since been engaged in legal and political battles over control of the family legacy and properties.
Mahendra deliberately gave the ODI to Chandigarh, the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, instead of hosting the match at Faridabad or Gurgaon as he does not get along with these two district cricket associations.
Given the fact that his estranged sister-in-law is also Haryana’s sports minister might have been instrumental in giving the royal ignore to his home state.
Chaudhary has gone to the extent of asking the state government to disband HCA and appoint an administrator in place of Mahendra. Being the state’s sports minister and not getting an invite for the match would now take this conflict to greater heights.
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‘Hate’ Mahendra campaign
Chandigarh: The handling of free passes for Monday’s ODI has left many of the city’s bigwigs thoroughly disappointed. The Chandigarh administration pumped nearly Rs.50 million to renovate the Sector 16 stadium, which will host an international contest after 14 years. HCA chief Mahendra has been miserly not only with free passes but also tickets.
“I fail to understand where all the tickets have gone,” a senior Chandigarh administration official remarked.
Mahendra has refused to oblige anyone with either passes or tickets. HCA officials who had promised many that tickets would be arranged have suddenly gone missing. So sloppy have been arrangements that duty cards and media coverage forms were being distributed till Sunday.
“I was assured that tickets would be made available. I was asked to get bank drafts prepared to buy tickets. I have at least 10 drafts worth nearly Rs.50,000 in my drawer. There is no sight of the promised tickets. I am so embarrassed,” one official complained.
For the media too, the passes have not come. The Chandigarh administration withdrew Rs.25,000 from the treasury to buy tickets for media persons. But HCA expressed its helplessness in providing the tickets. Now the money must be sent back to the treasury.
Mahendra is also quite adamant on not following conventions like inviting former India captains for the ODI. He stated that the legendary Kapil Dev, who started his cricketing career from this stadium in late 1970s, and other captains were not being invited for the match.