Sourav Ganguly makes sensible comments about his alleged rift with Ravi Shastri

BCCI President Sourav Ganguly on Friday was straightforward in his comments on Ravi Shastri’s tenure as Team India’s head coach, explaining that contracts depend on the performance and nothing else.  

Shastri and Ganguly had a public spat in 2016 when the former reapplied for the coach’s job when the latter was a part of the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) and selected Anil Kumble for the position.

The following year, Shastri became the head coach after Kumble resigned following his difference of opinion with skipper Virat Kohli.

 

Talking in the ‘India Today Conclave (East)’ on Friday, Ganguly said, “That’s why these are called speculations. I don’t have an answer to these questions. You perform and you continue, you don’t, someone else takes over. That was also the case when I played.”

“There will be talks, leaks, rumours but concentration should be on what happens on 22 yards,” he added. The former India captain then cited example of Virat Kohli to put forward his point.

“Kohli remains the most important man in Indian cricket as he leads the team on the field. He is a fantastic role model as to how he conducts himself on and off the field and will get all the support required to succeed. Virat, Ravi everyone will get everything required. But at the end of the day, we will demand performance,” he said.

The 2011 World Cup and then the 2013 Champions Trophy was the last time India won an ICC tournament. After that, the team faltered at the semifinal and final hurdle of most ICC tournaments. Ganguly feels that it is all in the head. “It’s not an ability issue but mind issue. They need to cross the mental barrier in big games,” he said.

Talking about the 2020 World T20 in Australia next year, Ganguly gave out a piece of advice to the team. “T20 is about playing fearless cricket with freedom. Don’t walk out there in the middle, playing for your place in the team,” he said.