Head coach Gambhir's revised message on Indo-Pak game: Focus on cricket
Dubai (PTI): Head coach Gautam Gambhir's call to "focus on cricket" has been echoed by fielding coach Ryan ten Doeschate, who on Saturday acknowledged that boycott sentiments with regards to India's Asia Cup match against Pakistan is a sensitive issue but stressed that the team has been instructed to strictly follow the directives of the BCCI and the Indian government.
There have been widespread calls to ban any sporting ties with Pakistan following terror attack on Indian tourists in Kashmir's Pahalgam.
Incidentally in a departure from convention, the Indian team management sent its junior-most coaching staff Ten Doeschate as there were apprehensions in the board corridors that had head coach Gautam Gambhir been sent questions would have been asked about his earlier stand.
"It is a very sensitive issue. Players feel the emotion and sentiments of the public. This is what we have discussed in the team meetings. Players are here to play cricket. We are following government instructions," Ten Doeschate said.
With the boycott theme trending widely among fans, he added, "Our thing is, you separate sports and politics. I understand the sentiment but we are following directives of BCCI and government. We are going by what the government and BCCI told us.
"Knowing this will happen was the most frustrating part. Gauti's message is to not focus on things not in your control. Messaging is to focus on cricket," he said.
Interestingly, Gambhir himself had taken a much harder line earlier. At an ABP event in New Delhi following the Pahalgam terror attack, he had said: "My personal answer to this is absolutely no. Till all this (cross-border terrorism) doesn't stop, there should not be anything between India and Pakistan. Ultimately this is the government's decision whether we play them or not. ...No cricket match, Bollywood movie, or any other interaction is more important than the life of Indian soldiers and Indian citizens."
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Ready to face no-confidence motion, says Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah
Hassan (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Saturday said that the Congress government led by him was ready to face the no-confidence motion if moved by the opposition during the legislature session from December 8.
With Deputy CM D K Shivakumar by his side, he reiterated that they would both abide by the high command's decision on the leadership issue.
"Let them (opposition) bring in a no-confidence motion or adjournment motion or any other motion. We are ready to face it. Ours is an open book, transparent government. We are ready to face anything," Siddaramaiah said in response to a question.
However, BJP state President B Y Vijayendra and Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Assembly R Ashoka, clarified that the party, along with the JD(S) has not discussed or decided anything so far regarding moving a no-confidence motion against the government.
ALSO READ: CM Siddaramaiah labels Kumaraswamy 'Manuvadi' over Bhagavad Gita curriculum push
The winter session of the Karnataka legislature will begin in Belagavi, bordering Maharashtra, on December 8 and will go on till 19th of this month.
Not wanting to react to a question on the leadership issue, the CM said the Congress high command is very strong.
"D K Shivakumar and I will be committed to whatever the high command decides," he said.
Earlier in the day in Bengaluru, Shivakumar accompanied AICC Mallikarjun Kharge till airport from Vidhana Soudha, after paying tributes to B R Ambedkar on his 69th death anniversary, which had led to some speculation about possible discussion between the two on the leadership issue.
The power tussle within the ruling party had intensified amid speculation about a change in chief minister in the state, after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20.
However, both the CM and Deputy CM had recently held breakfast meetings at each others residences, on the instructions of the high command, which is seen as a move to pause the leadership tussle between the two and to signal Siddaramaiah's continuation as the CM for the time being, especially ahead of the Belagavi legislature session.
