Players brought `disrepute` to cricket, says Bedi

Islamabad: Former Indian captain Bishan Singh Bedi has said that many cricketers of today have brought disrepute to the game by using illegal and unfair practices, instead of playing with honesty, uprightness and integrity.

Slamming players for causing havoc in world cricket, especially Indian cricket, Bedi said that it is all the more disappointing for him as the game is also linked with spirituality, the Daily Times reports. According to Bedi, although the technicalities of the game has not changed, it has however, regained drama and have made players and officials like producers, directors and actors of movies. Recalling the `bodyline` tactics of former English captain Douglas Jardine, who placed seven players behind the batsman, Bedi further said that the problem of ball tampering was brought in by players, who took undue advantage by using bottle top and grease stuff, adding that this is the reason why the ball is given to umpires these days after a wicket is taken. Stating that Australian cricket legend Don Bradman wanted to be remembered for his integrity, Bedi also said that a good cricketer is a good student of the game and a good administrator is just a servant of the game and not a boss, because only the game is the boss, adding that cheating has no place in cricket. However, Bedi refused to blame only the umpires for the recent `not walking` controversy in the Ashes series, saying that cricketers are also to be blamed as being human, umpires are entitled to make mistakes in their decisions, adding that cricket revival needs youngsters to be told the importance of walking. Bedi also raised doubts on the legality of the `doosra` delivery, and compared it with another man in a married woman`s life, who is also called a `doosra`. A known critic of the Indian Premier League, Bedi said that people want to believe that IPL is entertainment, adding that it is not necessary, as cricket has already been invented to pull people out of depression. Bedi also said that he felt that the IPL is doing a lot of harm to the youth of the country as it makes them soon realise the saturation point. ANI