Legendary cricketer Mushtaq Ali has accused the Board of Control for Cricket in India of showing an "utter disregard" towards players of his era and said it is high time cricket administrators make a serious effort to ameliorate the plight of these former players.
Mushtaq, a member of India's first cricket team, said the cash-rich Board never bothered to honour or even financially help former players who have contributed so much to the game.
"The Board should think about honouring the players who brought glory to Indian cricket. They don't bother about us. It is quite a shame," Mushtaq said.
Still perfectly fit at 89, Mushtaq said he never believed in begging for favours from the Board but felt it is the duty of those administering the game to be a little more sympathetic.
"We were paid only Rs 250 per Test, unlike today when there is a lot of money involved in the game. Also there were very few benefit matches at that time, said Mushtaq, who represented India in 11 Tests and scored 612 runs at 32.21, including two centuries.
"I will have to undergo cataract surgery in a few months from now and it would help if the Board takes care of such expenses," he said while insisting that his sons are in financially sound position to meet the expenses.
Though the BCCI never honoured him, Mushtaq was selected for the Special Achievement Award by Wisden last year, for being the first Indian to score a century on foreign soil. Mushtaq scored a century at Old Trafford in 1936.
He was also the first Indian to score a ton at the Eden Gardens, against the West Indies in 1947-48.
However, for Mushtaq Ali, the most unforgettable match remains the one in Kolkata, against the Australians, when the crowd shouted 'No Mushtaq, No Test'.
"There was a misunderstanding between the Board and me. I sent them a letter that I was available for the match but it did not reach them. But, finally, I was included in the match," he explained.
Mushtaq, who also captained the team in a few Tests, was of the view that sports helps in bridging gaps and cricket could be used to improve relations between India and Pakistan.
"We should not be dependent on the political environment of a country. Sporting ties should have been resumed even before they started the bus services," Mushtaq said and sung the parody "sports nahin sikhata aapas mein bair rakhna, Hindi hai hum watan hai Hindustan hamara".
He also did not appear very happy with the modern-day version of cricket.
"W G Grace agar aaj ka cricket dekhte to bechaare ro dete (If W G Grace had seen today's cricket, the poor fellow would have cried)," Mushtaq said.
"In those days cricket was so tradition-bound that it was seemingly difficult to imagine any change could take place. We didn't believe that a time would come when something called one-day cricket would dominate the game completely," he said.
Mushtaq also holds a strong view about the current dress code in one-day cricket.
"The kind of (coloured) clothes they don in one-day cricket, they look like jokers," he said.
Singing praises of the white flannel worn during his days, he said, "Wearing blazers, flannel shirts, pants was a fun. It was really a visual treat to see the well-decked up team, the pride of India. But today they find the weight of blazers too heavy and many of them wear the hat instead of the traditional cricket cap."
He, however, excused the cricketers for all these, saying it is probably normal for well-paid players to be fashion conscious.
"But the players earn so much they should do something for the game, like pick up talented players from the poor section of society and sponsor their education, cricket coaching and equipment."
Mushtaq, who preferred to play Ranji Trophy matches more than the Pentangular annual series, said there is no need to change Ranji Trophy format.
He said the idea of appointing a foreign coach is beyond his compehension since there are so many talented coaches in the country, citing the example of Sandeep Patil, who worked wonders with minnows Kenya during the last World Cup.
Mushtaq was also not very satisfied with team selection these days, saying the selectors are not honest.
"What matters today is regional bias, influence and nepotism. The selectors don't do their job honestly and the country has to suffer due to this.
"That is why in last few years only few youngsters have survived the test of time while others have been long forgotten," he added.
The Padmashree awardee has compiled his cricket memoirs in an autobiography 'Cricket Delightful' which he completed in 1964 but could not save a copy for himself.
Regarding his opening partnership with Vijay Merchant, he said the only secret of their success was timing and better understanding between them though he admitted that Merchant was slow in running between the wickets.
The modest Mushtaq said cricket was God's gift to him. "He gave melody to Lata (Mageshkar) and a brush to M F Hussain; he gave me cricket."
The famous cricketer also played hockey in his initial days and said the game indeed had a charm during the days of Dhyan Chand but today no other game in India has more charm than cricket and it is due to the players of his era who popularised the game.
Among his greatest fans are the first hero of the Hindi film industry Motilal, thespian Dilip Kumar and former Pakistan Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
But whom did he admire? His batting heroes were Col C K Nayudu, Dennis Compton (England), Frank Worrel (West Indies) and Keith Miller (Australia).
"In bowling, I was immensely impressed by the English spinner Hedley Verity," he added.
Mushtaq, who began his career at 19, said talented players should be properly groomed and given the opportunities at the right time.
