Sunil Gavaskar says Ganguly needs to clear air on Kohli's comments on captaincy issue
New Delhi(PTI): The legendary Sunil Gavaskar feels Sourav Ganguly is the best person to clear the air on Virat Kohli's contradictory statement on the issue of captaincy, saying the BCCI president "surely should be asked" how the difference in perception arose.
Days after Kohli quit T20I captaincy, Ganguly said that the BCCI had asked the superstar batter to reconsider his decision. Kohli had, however, contradicted Ganguly's statement during his explosive press conference on Wednesday ahead of departure for the South Africa Test series.
"I think it (Kohli's comment) actually doesn't bring the BCCI into the picture. I think it's the individual who has to be asked where he got the impression he had conveyed such a message to Kohli. So, that's the only thing," Gavaskar told 'India Today'.
"Yes, he (Ganguly) is the BCCI president and surely he should be asked why there is this discrepancy. He is probably the best person to ask about the discrepancy in what you seem to have to say and what the Indian captain has said," he added.
Kohli's comments had exposed the simmering tension between him and the BCCI officials after he was removed as ODI skipper as well earlier this month.
Kohli had said that his removal from ODI captaincy happened 90 minutes before the team's selection for the South Africa tour but Gavaskar felt there was nothing wrong on the part of selection committee chairman Chetan Sharma on that count.
"What is the controversy here. As long as the chairman of selectors had told him clearly that we are not considering you for ODI captaincy now, that's perfectly fine. It is the selectors who have complete authority is selection committee meetings. The captain is just a co-opted non-voting member," Gavaskar said.
"As long as it's not something that he (Kohli) has not found out from the media or as it happened in the past that the commander of a passenger flight announced it. I think he has been told by the chairman of the selection committee that he is not going to be the captain, I think that is absolutely okay.
"I don't know what these people wanted to do. As long as there has been communication between the chairman of selection committee and him, it's the decent thing to do," he added.
Gavaskar pointed out that it is time the BCCI starts clear channels of communication to avoid any such fiasco in future.
"Yes, it always helps to have a clear line of communication so that there is no speculation. So from now, from what has happened, there should be a clear line of communication and the chairman of the selection committee can come down and say why he has been picked and why he has not been picked.
"Sometimes, even if that is not needed, a press release is also good enough. A good press release giving all the reasons makes life a lot easier," the former captain said.
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CPI(M) rebel Kunhikrishnan hopes for 5,000-vote win in Payyanur
Kannur (Kerala) (PTI): CPI(M) rebel candidate V Kunhikrishnan, who contested as a UDF-backed Independent from Payyanur here, on Saturday said he was hoping to win the Assembly election by a margin of 5,000 votes.
Kunhikrishnan was expelled from the CPI(M) earlier this year after raising allegations of corruption in the party’s martyrs’ fund against sitting MLA T I Madhusoodanan.
Speaking to a TV channel, Kunhikrishnan said he had announced his candidature as a mark of protest and not with expectations of victory.
However, he said the situation had changed drastically, with a strong undercurrent within CPI(M) votes favouring him.
"The undercurrent in CPI(M) votes cannot be measured. Now people are giving a response indicating victory with a margin of at least 5,000 votes," he said.
Payyanur is considered a CPI(M) stronghold, and a defeat for Madhusoodanan there would be a major setback for the party.
On political violence in Payyanur, Kunhikrishnan said he had been facing it since filing his nomination.
"The people leading this violence should think about how long they can continue it. It is the police which has to take the initiative to stop this violence as part of maintaining law and order. But the police are not intervening at the required level," he said.
Regarding his political future, Kunhikrishnan said efforts were underway to strengthen Left groups, and discussions were being held across Kerala in that regard.
"After discussing with others, a decision will be taken," he said.
Kunhikrishnan is among six former CPI(M) leaders who either exited the party or were suspended before contesting for the UDF in the April 9 Assembly elections.
Elections to the 140-seat Kerala Assembly were held on April 9, and the counting of votes will be held on May 4.
