Sourav Ganguly on Wednesday hit back at Ravi Shastri, saying the former India team director was “living in a fool’s world” if he felt that only one person (Ganguly) was responsible for him not being selected the head coach.
Shastri reportedly blamed Ganguly, a member of the Cricket Advisory Committee that picked the head coach, for walking out during his interview via video-conferencing.
Responding to Shastri’s allegations, Ganguly said he was “saddened and disappointed” by his comments as these came from someone who himself had been involved in coach selection process in the past.
“I feel that the comments (made by Shastri) were very personal. He is living in a fool’s world if he thinks he is not the coach of India because of me. There are people who are more reputed in the committee than I am,” Ganguly, also the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president, told television channels.
Later, talking to reporters, Ganguly said, “When we pick the coach of India we give our best.
“It was a three-member committee and I was not the sole decision-maker. There were some other people outside the committee as well.”
CAB meetingGanguly, who had to leave midway through the coach selection process due to a pre-planned meeting of the CAB, said he was not disrespectful towards Shastri and had informed the BCCI about his temporary unavailability in advance.
“I had informed the BCCI. I attended the CAB working committee meeting as I had to chair that meeting. I don’t think Ravi is aware of all this.”
Taking a dig at Shastri, Ganguly said, “If he gives me an advice to be there in such meetings, then he should also make sure that he attends such meetings because it is one of the high profile jobs in the country.
We can understand family commitments and emergencies but not holidays on the beaches of Bangkok.”
