No mobile phones in dressing room: Chauhan

Ashish Shukla

The Indian cricket team which arrived here today on a 45-day tour is taking measures to ensure no finger is pointed at them with regard to betting and match- fixing and it's members will not be allowed to use mobile phones in the dressing room.

Team manager Chetan Chauhan said among a number of other things use of "mobile phones within the dressing room will not be allowed".

The Indian response couldn't have been more timely since the Condon report has stated that the Indian sub-continent is the "engine-room that had powered and driven cricket corruption".

"There is no need to have a curfew on the boys as such since they are well-behaved and understand their role vis-a-vis the Board and the nation," Chauhan told PTI aboard South African Airways flight on the way to Harare today.

Skipper Sourav Ganguly was confident his boys were aware of what was expected of them.

"I don't really need to tell them what is expected of them. They are very well-behaved and know exactly what is expected of them," said the stylish left-hander.

Ganguly hinted the Indian Cricket Board will be helped a great deal if a clear sense of direction emanates from the game's highest ruling body, the ICC.

Match-fixing disclosures, which claimed at least three prominent cricketers - Hansie Cronje, Mohammad Azharuddin and Salim Malik - among others, hogged the limelight once again after Sir Paul Condon submitted his preliminary report earlier this week. The ICC's Code of Conduct Commission has accepted Condon's report and its 24 suggestions in entirety.

As things stand, ICC still has to issue clear guidelines on the subject. These guidelines are expected to follow after the ICC meeting on the subject in London on June 18.

The investigations by Condon and his men will be intensified now. The team would be visiting Pakistan this week itself.

The current series between India and Zimbabwe too will be subject to scrutiny. Zimbabwean cricket, as South African great Barry Richards has said in the past, is in danger of being baited by bookmakers and match-fixers.

There is little money in the game here. Whatever revenue is made is through contracts with television channels. There is no sponsor of the game in the country. The lack of financial security has forced key Zimbabwe players to look for greener pastures outside in recent months. Quality cricketers like Murray Goodwin and Neil Johnson have opted out of Zimbabwean cricket for this reason.

Zimbabwean captain Heath Streak too has raised the subject with ICC that there should be minimum playing fee for Test players all over the world. "There should be a minimum pay structure for Test players," Streak said, indicating the present income for Zimbabwean cricketers was not enough.

It being so, the Indian cricket team is taking no chance as far as precautions are concerned on the present tour. They have a shining example in maestro Sachin Tendulkar who has remained untainted.

"I can't understand how one can sell his country for money," Tendulkar said in disgust while in the transit at Johannesburg, on way to Harare.

Mail Cricket Editor