by Thanks :: Reuters
MANCHESTER, England, May 27 (Reuter) - Opener Navjot Sidhu stunned
the Indians by deciding to quit their tour of England on Monday.
Sidhu announced his immediate retirement from international cricket
because of a fall-out with the Indian management. He is believed to be
especially angry about his treatment by captain Mohammad Azharuddin.
The 32-year-old Sikh, who averages 40.13 from his 36 tests, was
dropped for the third and final one-day international at Old Trafford
where England won by four wickets on Monday.
Sidhu made three in the rain-hit first one-dayer at The Oval last
Thursday and 20 in the second game at Headingly on Saturday when England
won by six wickets.
Sandeep Patil, the Indian team manager, said he was making strenuous
efforts to get Sidhu to reconsider.
Patil said: ``I am surprised that he has decided to retire, but we are
not forwarding his retirement letter to the Indian Cricket Board until we
have had a chance to sit down with him tonight when we reach Chelmsford
(for their next match against Essex).
``I'm sad because he has a lot of cricket left in him. He's a quiet
guy who is well regationship with the captain. We also need him more now
because we are not performing particularly well.''
Sidhu said ``My dignity would be compromised if I carried on with this
Indian team.''
Patil, however, denied Sidhu's fall-out with the management had
contributed to their 2-0 one-day series defeat.
``We've got no excuses. We've just not played very well and we have a
lot of work to do in the two matches we must play before the three-test
series begins,'' he said.
11:16 05-27-96