Off The Field

Not at all Enamoured With the Thought of a Statue of Arun Jaitley Coming up at Kotla: Bishan Singh Bedi

Written by Sumit Seth

Lambasting the DDCA for deciding to install a statue of its late former President Arun Jaitley at the Feroz Shah Kotla ground, spin legend Bishan Singh Bedi has asked the body to remove his name from the spectators’ stand, named after him in 2017.

Lashing out at the Delhi and District Cricket Association’s (DDCA) culture, which he alleged promotes nepotism and puts “administrators ahead of cricketers”, Bedi also renounced his membership of the body.

“I pride myself as a man of immense tolerance and patience…but all that I’m afraid, is running out. DDCA has truly tested me and forced me to take this drastic action.

“So, Mr President I request you to remove my name from the stand named after me with immediate effect. Also, I hereby renounce my DDCA membership,” Bedi wrote in his letter.

Jaitley was DDCA president for 14 years, from 1999 to 2013, before quitting cricket administration. The body plans to have a six-foot statue of him installed at the Kotla to honour his memory.

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Sumit Seth