The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : Never ignore our strength: Bedi

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Nov 14, 2006
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Never ignore our strength: Bedi

Special Correspondent

NEW DELHI: "You have to be a good student to be a good cricketer," said former India captain Bishan Singh Bedi here on Monday. He was speaking at a function got up to release a book on traditions of Indian spin (Bhartiya Spin Gendbazi Ki Parampara) in Hindi written by veteran cricket writer Surya Prakash Chaturvedi.

The book, published by Rajkamal Prakashan, is dedicated to the contribution of the slow men in taking Indian cricket to great heights.

Bedi lamented the decline in the faith in spinners these days. "I don't know why are we ignoring our strength. For years spin has been our strong point and I am amazed at the lack of interest in grooming spinners in our country. Good bowling and good batting has to be appreciated in cricket and similarly you have to acknowledge the role of the spinners at various points in our cricket history," said Bedi.

Taking a dig at the manner in which the composition of the Indian team is being dictated by "colonial" thinking, Bedi said the book ought to be translated into English and a copy be handed to coach Greg Chappell, who, in the opinion of the great left-arm spinner, was not doing his job properly. "We have to respect our talent and recognise our strength," he added.

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