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ShareGraham Ford's doosra has left the Indian cricket establishment stumped, and John Emburey has added salt to the wounds by declining the offer to coach India too.
Red-faced officials will still be scurrying around for excuses and explanations, but harsh as it may sound, the simple truth is that the Board of Control for Cricket in India got what it deserved.
For some time now, it has appeared that the BCCI was spinning out of control; the fiasco over the appointment of the new coach only confirms this.
The relationship with players has been uneasy for a long while (the contracts are yet to be signed), the team hit a nadir in the World Cup, and now even a medium-grade coach has had the temerity to cock a snook at us.
Indian cricket may be the richest in the world in terms of money, but it is believed to be completely impoverished where running the game is concerned. The imbecilic manner in which the Ford affair was conducted reveals arrogance and ignorance, more than good sense, in the administration.
How could a coach, promoted by the senior players including the captain, suddenly withdraw from the post offered to him after flying down all the way and making a successful presentation? Actually he could if he was not entirely convinced about the new one.
It is now known that Ford was offered a substantially lower amount than his predecessor, and the term of the contract was to be an unreasonable one year, but it is a moot point whether these were the only factors in his (or Emburey's) snub.
Perhaps it was just the unholy rigmarole that put them off, because currently Indian cricket seemed to be infested with jokers and knaves. That is enough to scare off the boldest.
The image of the BCCI has transformed dramatically from a money-making monolith to a blundering giant in the past few years. When Sharad Pawar became president, it was hoped that his experience and acumen will help streamline the administration, make the board more efficient.
Over 18 months, Mr Pawar will have realised that managing the BCCI is a different ball game from conventional politics. Right now, Indian cricket is in a mess - both literally and figuratively. His task is cut out.
