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Tuesday, September 25, 2018

Srilanka dismal performance ! ~ writing letter to CEO


After blowing away Pakistan on Sunday, India takes  on Afghanistan in the fifth Super Four match at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium in UAE today. In the context of the tournament, this match is a dead rubber,  India in, Afghan out of finals.  Team India can afford to make a couple of changes - Deepak Chahar might get a go in place of Chahal or Kuldeep. Shikhar Dhawan might be rested and KL Rahul might get a look in.

Sears CEO Eddie Lampert is suggesting a last-ditch effort to prevent a bankruptcy for the embattled department store chain, according to a proposal by major shareholder ESL Partners, Lampert's hedge fund. It matters a lot.  A debt payment is looming, and Sears is tight on cash. Lampert, whose hedge fund also owns Sears's debt, has a lot on the line should Sears go bankrupt. Chief executive officer (CEO) – in Corporate World is a very important post in most Organisations. CEOs lead a range of organizations, typically reports to the board of directors and is charged with maximizing the value of the entity, which may include maximizing the share price, market share, revenues, or another element.

Ajit Mohan, the chief executive officer of Star India's over-the-top video service Hotstar, has been named Facebook India's vice-president and managing director, according to multiple persons aware of the development. The development was announced by Star India CEO Uday Shankar in a company town hall, Hotstar sources told ET. Mohan's appointment ends Facebook's one-year search for an India head, a role which became vacant following former managing director Umang Bedi's departure in October last year.  Public sector Indian Bank on Monday said Padmaja Chunduru has assumed charge as its Managing Director and CEO with immediate effect. Earlier, she served State Bank of India as its deputy managing director (global markets), Mumbai, a press release said here. Ms Chunduru succeeds Kishor Kharat.

~  this post is not about Corporate World, but a letter written to a CEO ! – have you ever had a chance to meet, talk or exchange an email communication with your CEO ?
Angelo Mathews from FB page

Former Sri Lanka skipper Angelo Mathews hit out at his country’s cricket board (Sri Lanka Cricket) accusing  them of making him a scapegoat for his team’s failure at Asia Cup 2018. Stating that he was feeling ‘betrayed and let down’ Mathews also threatened to retire from the shorter formats of the game after being replaced by Dinesh Chandimal as the captain. In a letter published by Cricinfo, Mathews wrote to SLC CEO Ashley de Silva .. .. here is some excerpts of that letter

Dear CEO,

I write to you pursuant to the meeting at SLC premises, which was attended by all the selectors along with the National Cricket Coach Mr. Chandika Hathurusinghe. At this meeting the selection committee and the coach informed me to step down as Sri Lanka's captain of the ODI and T20 team. Though I was initially surprised, it was immediately felt that I have been made the scapegoat in this entire saga of Sri Lanka's dismal performances against Bangladesh and Afghanistan in the Asia Cup. I'm willing to take part of the blame but at the same time, feel betrayed and let down if the blame is solely put on me. As you know all decisions are taken through a mutual understanding with the Selectors and the Head Coach. And though I do not agree with the reasoning that the losses should be accrued single handed to the Captaincy, I however eagerly and wholeheartedly respect the request of the selection committee and the head coach in asking me to step down and do so with immediate effect.

You would recall that I relinquished my captaincy in all formats in July 2017, pursuant to captaining Sri Lanka continuously for a period of 5 years in all formats. During this tenure under my captaincy series wins were recorded against England, we whitewashed Australia 3-0 and winning the Asia Cup in 2014 were some memorable occasions. However in the team's best interest having felt that the time had come for new leadership I voluntarily resigned as Captain from all formats of the game in July 2017.

Thereafter, pursuant to Sri Lanka suffering heavy defeats in all formats and having several appointed Captains, namely Upul Tharanga, Thisara Perera, Chamara Kapugedara, Lasith Malinga and Dinesh Chandimal during the tenure between July 2017 and December 2017 in the ODI and T20 formats, Mr Chandika Hathurusinghe immediately having been appointed as Head coach met with me in person, requested me to reconsider taking up the Captaincy until the World Cup in 2019. Though myself, my family and close friends discouraged me in taking up the mantle, being confident in Hathurusinghe and his plans to elevate the performances of the Sri Lankan team and in the best interest of my country I agreed to do so until the World Cup.

I wish to put it on record that though Sri Lanka suffered these heavy defeats in the Asia Cup, which is shocking to say the least, especially in the backdrop where we had a reasonable series against South Africa, I had no intention to quitting and running way from the issues at hand especially owing to the World Cup being only a dozen games away. Furthermore as an obligation of a player I will keep working hard in all aspects of the game and will be available to represent Sri Lanka at any given time with my fullest. I have played the game true to my conscience and have given my best at all times and have felt that I am fit enough to play the formats and also have performed adequately over a period of time to hold my place in the team. You will know that I was also the overall highest run scorer in the South Africa series from both teams.

In the given circumstances I thus resign as the Captain of the Sri Lankan ODI and T20 team with immediate effect in considering the request of the selection committee and the coach to resign. I thank the selectors and the National Coach for speaking to me in person and conveying your thoughts in respect of the Asia Cup and giving me the opportunity to step down in this manner. I wish all the successes to our National Cricket team and all of you.                                                                  Best wishes, Angelo Mathews

In case you wish to know, the CEO of Lankan Cricket is : Ashley Matthew de Silva, a wicketkeeper, played 3 Tests, aggregated 10 runs and in 4 one dayers made 12 runs  !

Any topic on Captain getting dropped would refer to that great Cricketer Srinivasan Venkatraghavan and the ignominy handed to him.  His  credentials stretched from 1965 – 1983 as a player  -  57 Tests – 156 wickets  - a brilliant close-in catcher,  was captain in five Tests and the first two World Cup competitions, a manager who doubled as a coach on the tours of Australia in 1985-86 and West Indies in 1989, was secretary of the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association from 1986 to 1989, a national selector in 1991-92, a regular and respected columnist for newspapers and magazines for many years, expert commentator for television for innumerable Tests and one-day internationals, ICC match referee in the 90s, and ICC panel umpire from 1993 till date.  A man with resume straightaway qualifying for the topnotch CEO.

When Ajit Wadekar quit, he was the right man but when WI toured India in 1975, it was Pataudi – but for Delhi Test,  with VC Gavaskar too out with an injury, he was made Captain.  India lost that test by an innings (perhaps the result could have changed if Viv Richards had been given out !) – next Test, he was the 12th man.  India’s 1979 WC campaign was disastrous and returning after that Oval Test, media reports suggest that he came to know of his removal through an  announcement made on the flight.

Tidbit 1 :  In  1958-1959 Home series India versus West Indies:  India had 5 captains : First Test: Polly Umrigar;             Second Test: Gulam Ali; •     Third Test: Polly Umrigar;     Fourth Test: Vinoo Mankad;  Fifth Test: Hemu Adhikari ~ with D K Gaekwad as the captain for the England series that followed India had six captains in just over a year.

With regards – S. Sampathkumar
25th Sept. 2018.


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