Will introducing reservation in cricket level the playing field?

The Maha Mumbai Graduate Forum is batting for caste reservation in cricket.
The forum demanded reservation for backward caste nominees in the managing committees of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA). One of the nominees proposed by the forum is Ramdas Athavale, president of the Republican Party of India.

The 12-year-old forum is of the opinion that, with the help of reservation, players from backward castes would get an opportunity to excel in the game. According to Dr Tushar Jagtap, president of the forum, mostly upper caste players are selected.

“Upper caste surnames dominate the list of players selected for various tournaments. This should stop,” he told dna on Thursday.

“Players from the backward castes have huge potential. But they are handicapped as they lack the right opportunities. Most of them end up playing at the junior level and never get a chance to play in Test or ODI-level matches.’’

Dr Jagtap maintained that his forum was working for the implementation of the preamble of the Indian Constitution which guarantees liberty, equality and freedom to all sections of society.

“We are going to write to governor of Maharashtra K Sankaranarayanan requesting him to ensure that members of the scheduled castes, scheduled tribes, nomadic tribes, other backward castes and women are adequately represented in the managing committee of the MCA,’’ he said.

“Fifty per cent of the seats in the managing committee should be reserved for these categories,” he said.

“Under article 38 (1) and (2) of Constitution, the state government can introduce reservation in sports bodies,” he said.

“There are 325 cricket clubs in Mumbai and Thane. They should start implementing the reservation policy for the welfare of society.”

Noted cricketer Pravin Amre said the need of the hour is the provision of good facilities for all players irrespective of caste or creed.

Ashish Shelar, president of BJP’s Mumbai unit, said that if the proposal comes from the government, it would support it. But, as of now, there is no legal basis for this demand made by the forum, he said.

Jitendra Ahwad, state working president of the Nationalist Congress Party, refused to comment. NCP chief Sharad Pawar is in the fray for the MCA elections scheduled to be held on October 18. Chief minister Prithviraj Chavan and industries minister Narayan Rane and BJP leader Gopinath Munde are also likely to contest the elections.

As MCA president Ravi Sawant preferred not to comment, saying that the issue was a sensitive one, another MCA official on the condition of anonymity said it is not possible to have such reservations.  “You cannot have reservation in sports, whether it is the game or the administrative aspect. We have the best administrators and best players,” he said.

Former Test cricketer and 1983 World Cup winner Balwinder Singh Sandhu, too, was against reservation. “Reservation in sports, whether it is in the administrative part or the sports part, is not good. Sports should be kept out of it. For a sportsman, the game is his religion. A player is either a footballer or a cricketer, he is not known on the basis of his caste,” he said.

“If the quota system is inducted, then the sport will be finished. I think in sports whether it is the player or the administrative part, selection should be based only on merit,” he said. “Cricket is a team game. The 1983 World Cup win is the biggest example of team work or unity. We played as a team. There were no Hindus, Muslims, Christians or anyone. We were Indians. There was no question of caste. We backed each other. Either you were a batsman or a bowler. What abilities you have in yourself could help the team win,” said Sandhu.