Perceived as the man instrumental behind Sourav Ganguly's return to Team India, Board of Control for Cricket in India president Sharad Pawar denied reports that Ganguly had attitude problems and vouched for that the southpaw is a perfect team man.
Talking to reporters in Amravati after the selectors announced a 16-member squad for the Test series in Pakistan in Mumbai, Pawar also denied there was any pressure on the selectors to include Ganguly.
''There was no pressure at all,'' he asserted.
Defending the cricketer, who met him at his residence in New Delhi earlier this week, Pawar said, ''Whatever is appearing in the media claiming he has attitude problems and he does not enjoy good relations with his colleagues is all rubbish. Reports claimed he was not co-operating with the team (management). But I myself talked with the senior players and there was not a single complaint against him.''
Interestingly, it was coach Greg Chappell who in his e-mail that triggered a controversy, had remarked that Ganguly was a corruptive influence in the side.
Pawar, however, blamed the media for showing Ganguly in wrong light.
''Whatever was written in the media was not right and it was unfair on media's part to write those things about a player who has brought so much glory for India,'' he added.