'Physical trainer Adrian Le Roux dumps Indian team,' screamed the headlines this morning.
After a year's tenure that saw the Indian team become one of the fitter, if not the fittest, on the circuit, Le Roux signed a two-year contract with the United Cricket Board of his native South Africa.
Speaking to rediff.com from South Africa, Le Roux said, "It [my decision to quit] has nothing to do with the BCCI, the team, or the players. It is a personal decision because the South African board has offered me the same position for my own country. This is a huge opportunity and I won't get it again."
But the question worth asking is: what forced him to take this decision?
A senior official of the Board of Control for Cricket in India had pointed out recently that even the Bangladeshi team's physiotherapist earns more money than Le Roux and Andrew Leipus, the Indian team's physio.
According to the official, Leipus and Le Roux each earned US $40,000 last year. The Bangladeshi board pays its physio $50,000.
What's more, Le Roux could easily earn the same amount in six months with any provincial team back in South Africa.
Without going into details of his new contract, the 31-year-old South African claimed that money was not the issue. "It's an opportunity to work for my country, to be closer to my family, and that is the bottom line.
"I have had a good relationship with the Indian cricket team and have learnt a great deal from them about the Indian cricket culture. It is unfortunate I made this decision, but in the long term it is the right one and I want to be with my family."
Coming from a thorough professional, however, the manner in which Le Roux quit is intriguing.
He spoke to skipper Sourav Ganguly and coach John Wright, but did not bother to inform the BCCI. That probably was a fallout of the shabby manner in which the BCCI has treated its professionals. Le Roux, for instance, learnt of his one-year extension as the team's trainer through the media.
The morning after the World Cup final, Le Roux was clueless about his future with the Indian team and even joked about whether the board required his services anymore.
The players, however, were clear in their minds about the importance of Wright and his team. Vice-captain Rahul Dravid credited the team's good showing in the Cup to Wright, Leipus and Le Roux.
"The background staff is very important in a cricket team," said Dravid. "You need very good backup in today's day and age when there is so much pressure. It becomes very hard for the players to think about such issues. The cricket team is not only the result of the 11 players on the field; it is the end product of a lot of things. If you have the whole system in place and a good backup, the end product will be a good one."
This year India plays New Zealand at home and then travels to Australia for a four-Test series and a triangular tournament from November to February. Le Roux will be missed then.
