NEW DELHI, Feb. 24 -- Allow me a sweeping generalisation about sporting success and failure: For today's governing elite, only success matters and when it happens, the grasping presiding deities rush to bask in reflected glory and share the limelight with the champions. Recall Modi's fawning over our triumphant T-20 world champions a few months ago. But when defeat comes calling, these calculating opportunists scurry away or join in the public lynching of our sportspersons.

You've guessed right! This cynical paroxysm of outrage has been provoked by the unseemly reaction of the BCCI and former cricketers to our Indian test team's twin defeats to New Zealand and Australia. How dare they?

You don't kick anybody, least of all our heroes, wh...