With Just few days left, for the start of Mumbai Super League Table Tennis tourney, the 10 team owners of this league, are facing criticism from some players, who feel that some deserving players with good form, were ignored by them, during the auction. Prominent among these players, is Dinkar Selarka, popularly known as Pappu in Table Tennis circle. Selarka who is 50+ top player from Mumbai , has expressed his displeasure to his near and dear ones, for being ignored by the owners of all the ten teams. “I don’t know the reason, why I was ignored by all the 10 team owners, as I have beaten almost all these ten veteran players selected , in some tournament or the other, in the past.I feel deeply hurt, as I was practising very hard to play this event,” said Selarka, when contacted over phone.
Dinkar( Pappu) Selarka
Actually, there were ten places for Veterans, one each in all the 10 teams; but surprisingly, none of them preferred Selarka. Last year, when this League was played on a trial basis, Selarka was very much part of this League and had won most of his matches, except for losing one match. This year, there are additional teams, but still, Selaka couldn’t find his entry into this league.
Incidentally, Selarka was the member of 50+ Veterans team from Maharashtra, along with Sunil Babras and others; in the National Championship held earlier this year, which won the team event. His individual performance was also good. Being a regular swimmer, he is fit and most reliable player. Working in Central Railway, he has always helped all the Mumbai players, going out of his way, to get their reservations for train journey. Above all, he is in good form and should have been there in one of the teams, as a veteran player, according to his well wishers and friends.
Dinkar Selarka with his medals won at the Veterans National Championship, earlier this year.
Selarka’s non inclusion in the MSL, has also invited mixed reactions from TT players on social networking sites like Whatsapp & FB , where there was a debate on this issue. Some feel that it was nothing in the hands of Organisers, as it was not a state selection process, to go strictly on merits. One veteran player has admitted that it was an error of judgment by owners of the team, during the auction. Moreover, it was at the discretion of every team owner, to select their players . Mumbaikar did speak to some active players, who felt that there was a possibility that the team owners opted for players, whom they felt, were good for them, to fit into their budget or personally known to them. Others felt that it was their prerogative and hence there should not be any dispute over the auction of players and selection thereafter. After all, they were spending their money on the players of their choice. One veteran player said that when there is such a good response from veterans, attracting maximum entries, there should be separate MSL for them.
By the way, Selarka is not only the aggrieved player. There are few more players like him, who actually deserved to be part of this league in other categories, if the team owners, really wanted to have a balanced team. But, in such League matches, where there is auction for selecting the players, such controversies are bound to happen. Few TT players, who spoke to Mumbaikar, feel that , next time, there should be short listing done by organisers, with only the best and ranked players offered for auction , as per merit, to make this MSL more competitive. A former international badminton player, while offering his views over this auction, did appreciate the efforts taken by organisers to host such a big event; but, felt that it was too early to include the cadet group into this format of the game. “Instead they should have given chance to Youth Boys and Girls, who need better exposure,” he added.
When Mumbaikar spoke to few team owners, to know about the process of auction, they said that they had followed the rules of this League format and hence they selected the players from different categories, as per their requirement. “When you are given a choice from the list of players, some players will be left out. So, it should not be considered as injustice,” said one of the Group owners of a team.
Hope the organisers take into account any such lapses, where best players are deprived of their chance to be part of this prestigious MSL. Perhaps, they could limit the list of best shortlisted players in each category to ten best players only and keep some players in reserve. If possible, let there be qualifying matches for the shortlisted players, to be eligible for auction. And, let the entries for the same be invited through proper press release. We want the growth of the game of Table Tennis , with maximum participation. At the same time, we would like to see the best competition in each match. Therefore, such controversies can be avoided.
This big tournament begins from 7th July 2016 at NSCI, Mumbai at 4 pm, with grand inauguration, followed by two league matches. So, be there to watch some exciting TT matches. Sanil Shetty silver medallist in the recently concluded Sr. North Zone TT championship, is back and will be seen in action, along with other national level players. Wishing the organisers and participants all the best. Hope the organisers take into account some of these above suggestions, for next year’s event.