SPORTS

Dravid unfazed by controversies

Source:PTI
February 10, 2007 17:34 IST

Showing no signs of repentance, Indian captain Rahul Dravid on Saturday said that he is not worried by the Board of Control for Cricket in India's stand to seek an explanation from him for his outburst against the team manager for the South African tour.

Dravid said controversies had become a part and parcel of Indian cricket and he has learnt to deal with such situations.

"If they ask for an explanation [on his outburst against tour manager Chetan Desai], I will give it to them. It does not worry me, nothing worries me," he told reporters in Rajkot.

"There have been a lot of controversies in the last few years. It has become part and parcel of Indian cricket. We have learnt how to handle all this. We have to focus on the game," Dravid said.

BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah had said on Friday that the Board would seek an explanation from Dravid for the outburst but appeared to downplay the whole incident today.

"We don't want to carry on this controversy endlessly. We wanted to give a message to Dravid. That's all," Shah said.

Shah said he has not spoken to Dravid on the subject after the Indian team's arrival in Rajkot, although the two were seen having a conversation at the Madhavrao Scindia ground, venue of tomorrow's second India-Sri Lanka ODI, after the home team's practice session.

Desai had come under a scathing attack from the Indian skipper for his tour report which criticised Dravid for selecting an out-of-form Virender Sehwag and unfit Munaf Patel in the deciding third Test against South Africa which India lost.

Currently, Desai's report is with BCCI president Sharad Pawar, who has to go through the report and recommend what action needs to be taken.

In an uncharacteristic outburst, Dravid had told reporters in Kolkata on Wednesday that Desai had no standing in the game.

"Anyone is entitled to give his opinion, anyone is entitled to give a report. But me commenting on that, I will comment only when it is worthy of my comment."

"It is important to put it in perspective and understand that I have been asked for my views on a report given by someone ... When I last looked at the history of Indian cricket I did not necessarily see his name featuring very prominently," Dravid had said.

The report is said to be critical of Sehwag's attitude to the game and also did not spare Dravid for being stubborn in selection matters, specially in the crucial third Test in Cape Town where an unfit speedster Munaf Patel was chosen.

 

Source: PTI
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