Vinod Kambli must not get away easily

The cricket world is suddenly agog with talk of match-fixing. After the spot-fixing verdict, the talk has only increased. Someone as venerable as Lord Paul Condon has made unsubstantiated claims that fixing was rampant in the 1990s. During his 10-year term as chief of the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit, Condon did little to bring those ‘shady’ deals out in the public. Vinod Kambli seems to have taken a cue from him.

Kambli’s lachrymose melodrama on the telly has done little for his credibility which is at its lowest ebb anyway. He has managed to earn some footage on national television but not fans. He seems to have developed this knack of shedding tears at the drop of a hat. He did that in a reality show brazenly stating that Sachin Tendulkar did not come to his rescue in his time of need. He has done it again. Should we take him seriously? The answer is simple — at this juncture, the point is not Kambli but Indian cricket.

Indian cricket cannot be allowed to be hijacked by the whims of disgruntled cricketers. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has a responsibility to the nation in particular and the cricketing world in general. It should dig deep into the matter. The obvious question is, why did Kambli stay quiet for 15 years. Kambli must be asked to show proof. Or else he should forfeit the benefits from the Indian cricket board and remain an outcast. In matters as serious as match-fixing, one cannot be allowed to escape by merely hinting at ‘suspicion’.

The immediate reaction of the BCCI has been one of reticence and nonchalance. Rajiv Shukla merely rubbished the claims, he did not seek evidence. Such caginess will lead to more rumour-mongering and unsubstantiated allegations. What does the BCCI have to fear?