Indore: The newly appointed secretary of BCCI Sanjay Jagdale said that cricketers` fitness is a global issue and not restricted to Indian players.
"It is the players who should decide whether to play or skip a game (if they are not fit enough)", the high profile cricket coach turned cricket administrator Jagdale told reporters at the Press Club here.
If a tennis player takes a break, not everyone is concerned, but if a cricketer is not fit for one match, there would be hue and cry, he said adding people also should be aware of the busy schedule of cricketers.
Fitness is must for each player, but it was difficult to meet public expectation every time, he observed, saying Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar nicely plans his break.
Jagdale who has been secretary of Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association for several years said it was only the master blaster Tendulkar who has been not only playing for 22 years but also fulfilling expectations of every Indian who loves cricket.
When asked to comment on Tendulkar`s suggestion on changing the format of One Dayers, Jagdale avoided saying anything stating that the Master blaster is competent enough to make an advice, and the BCCI or ICC would comment on it. On Shoaib Akhtar`s comment that Sachin was not a match winner player, Jagdale said, "it was his (Shoaib) statement...to me Sachin is a great player."
He said he never dreamt of the post of Secretary in BCCI.
"My first passion is cricket coaching, and on this post I will try to be honest ...I am just lucky to be on this post, I had no formula to get this post,” Jagdale confessed.
He said that he would still devote some of his time for cricket in Madhya Pradesh.
He also informed that the BCCI is working to search new talents from North-Eastern states and Union Territories.
PTI
First Published: Saturday, September 24, 2011, 22:36