BCCI allegedly used Ahmedabad Test reference to educate budding cricketers on match-fixing

Kapil Dev (L) and Sachin Tendulkar

In an attempt to create awareness against match fixing among the upcoming cricketers, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has allegedly used the Ahmedabad Test between India and New Zealand held back in 1999 as a reference to take lessons from, according to Hindustan Times.

The infamous Ahmedabad Test

In response to India’s first innings score of 583/7, the visitors were bundled out for 308. While it was widely expected that India, captained by Sachin Tendulkar, would enforce a follow-on, the Indian openers came out to bat instead: a decision which raised a few eyebrows and eventually let New Zealand escape with a draw, finishing on a comfortable 252/2 after being set 424 to win on the fourth day evening.

When asked to explain the decision, Tendulkar told the press that it was the then Indian coach Kapil Dev’s decision to not invite the Kiwis to bat again despite him insisting so. The late Jaywant Lele, a former Indian cricket board secretary, writing in his book, also supported Tendulkar saying it was Kapil, India first ever world cup winning captain, who took the final decision.

Kapil, however, diverted the blame onto the team, saying that it was a ‘collective decision’ and that he had no major say in it.

Documentary evidence

From the documentary evidence acquired by HT, it is revealed that Upadhyay, a former central security officer, while conducting an anti-corruption workshop at the Delhi District Cricket Association (DDCA) complex last September, said to the group of players in the conclave: “You know, match-fixing started much before 2000 (when the scandal broke). There was a match held in Ahmedabad where India were playing against some foreign side. India were in a very strong position and it was expected that they would enforce the follow-on. The entire nation was expecting that the next day.”

“That did not happen,” he added, as the players look bewildered.

“But bookies sitting in Delhi and Mumbai knew that the follow-on would not be given. Later, the BCCI asked the captain why he did not enforce the follow-on. The captain refused to answer and said ‘ask the coach’. The coach said, ‘don’t ask me, ask the team as it was a collective decision’.”

BCCI’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) director Ravi Sawani was also present in the seminar.

Upadhyay denies making references

While taking the names of two of India’s greatest players in a match-fixing episode has put them in a bad light, Upadhay, however, when approached by Hindustan Times, denied making any such references and refrained from making any further comments stating only Sawani was certified to speak with the media.

One of the players who had attended the session said: “During the lecture, I was not shocked at what Upadhyay said. But when I came back and checked that Test on the website, I found Sachin was the captain and Kapil paaji the coach. That was when I realised why they are talking about that match.”

The scorecard of the match in concern can be found here.