Should tainted cricketers be allowed to play cricket again?
Who are tainted cricketers? Players who once played the beautiful and “Gentlemanly” game of cricket just to spoil the fame of the glorious game. People like Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila, Ankeet Chavan have done it in IPL in 2013 while Pakistani pace duo of Mohammed Asif and Mohammad Amir along with the opening batsman and the then captain Salman Butt have done it in international cricket in England in 2010. These are just recent examples. But one of the biggest disgrace to cricket was in 2000 where the then skipper of South Africa Hansie Cronje admitted to be involved in a match fixing scandal. Ex-Indian skipper Mohammad Azharuddin was also allegedly involved in match fixing but, Indian Court recently cleared him of all the charges. So, after hearing about all these examples about players spoiling the name of the game, a question arises – Whether tainted cricketers should be allowed to play cricket or not? According to me, they must be allowed.
There is a popular opinion, “Once a thief, always a thief”. I am a person who does not agree with it. I am a believer of, “Success is how high we can bounce after a setback”. Mohammad Amir recently joined in the Pakistan team and performed exceedingly well. Better than his previous ones, some say. Would we be able to witness the rise of such a talented performer if we banned him just by judging him on past experiences? He reached 50 wickets in just 14 Tests, the quickest in history, and looked a worthy heir to Pakistani greats like Imran Khan, Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis. He paid a heavy price for becoming involved with the wrong people but he is still a young man and he can achieve much in the game, not least in becoming a role model for those who are tempted to cheat. He deserves the chance to put right the wrongs that saw his promising young life torn apart.
It is just not a cause for Amir who, at a tender age realised and apologised for his mistake but for many others who can agree their mistake and move on with the regret yet confidence of outperforming what standards they have set for themselves. But, if players cannot agree with what they have done, they do not deserve a chance to prove themselves yet again. Thus, I would like to conclude my article with an opinion of bringing back good and talented cricketers to the big stage and ask them to prove back their loyalty towards their nation and the sport.
How often can a mistake be ignored? Moreover, what is the limit on the magnitude of the mistake that is being ignored? When you try and relate these questions to the cricketing array, you realise that there has never been a limit. In 2010, when one of the biggest fixing scandal in cricket the world had ever seen broke out, the cricketing fraternity was united to clean up the mess. The cleaning up process was more of a reactive one. 6 years on, the same cricketing fraternity is divided over the return of the lead actor in the aforementioned fixing scandal. And by allowing Mohammad Amir to return to competitive cricket, International cricket at that, ICC has once again got themselves into a position where they might have to be reactive again. Yes, they didn’t choose to be proactive. Again.
On 14th of July 2016, England face Pakistan for the 1st Test match at the iconic Lord’s Ground. Funnily enough, while the ground stands as a messiah of history and tradition, it is serving as a platform to what I would call an undeserving comeback. Undeserving not in the sense of talent, undeserving in the view of things he has done. The player I am talking about is Mohammad Amir. The question that arises at this stage is that why is all the hype and questions surrounding only Mohammad Amir. The reason is simple – no other ‘actor’ from any episode of this dark series has ever been allowed to return to the game. Mohammad Asif has been not. Salman Butt has been not. S Sreesanth has been not. In fact, Hansie Cronje never was. Mohammad Azharuddin never ended up playing again.
To justify any stance, one must provide valid reasons, unwelcome or unpleasant as they may be. For me, the reasons come in the form of fantasising rules that could help prevent this disaster in the first place. I say fantasising because believe me, these rules won’t be seen anywhere in the near future, however beneficial. I think that players or officials, even remotely involved in any kind of fixing should be banned for life(if found guilty). In recent developments, several players have been banned for being found involved in betting. Though harsh, it is the right way to go about maintaining the integrity and the ‘Gentleman’ nature of the game.
At a time when players are looking to take advantage of having a benefit of doubt over the circumstantial evidence, it is important to enforce tougher laws to govern the same. If achieving a fixing-free game is the finish line, then implementing methods like educating the cricketers from a young age and increasing the pay at all levels will just help reach 50% of the mark. To reach the finish lines, there is a super need of enforcing tough rules that punish the involved. I cannot stress on that enough.
The Game of Cricket is bigger than any single individual that is a part of it in any way. Thus, bending the rules, or ignoring some, just for the sake of a single player is not acceptable. The ‘return’, as I am terming it, is one strong blow to the honour of the game. Money is dominating the game on and off the field. But, let it not dominate the honour and piousness of the game, as we know it to be. The respective cricket boards and the ICC should not be as lenient. For, there shouldn’t come the time when statements like “You know? Once, the game used to be clean” are made.
Voice your opinion and let us know what you think.
