When India's probables for the Tweny20 World Cup were announced earlier this month, three names were conspicuous by their absence from the 30-man list released by the Board of Control for Cricket in India.
They were Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly. The trio were said to have opted out of the tournament 'to give a chance to youngsters'.
National selection committee chief Dilip Vengsarkar said Dravid called him from Hove, where the touring Indian team was playing Sussex a tour match, to say that the three senior players were opting out of the tournament, to be held in South Africa from September 11 to 24.
'I got a call from Rahul today morning who said on behalf of all the three players that they were opting out of the Twenty20 World Cup,' Vengsarkar had said.
But, according to Times Now on Tuesday, it was the BCCI that told the India captain to opt out and also convey the message to Ganguly and Tendulkar.
Ganguly it seems was keen on playing in the tournament.
'Obviously, it was tempting to participate and I was eager for the inaugural Twenty20 championship. It is sad to opt out of any form of cricket,' Times Now quoted him as saying.
'It was a difficult decision but Rahul and Sachin had already said 'no'. I had a word with Rahul and he said it will be right to sit out,' he added.
The television channel went on to say that Tendulkar too was eager participate in the tournament 'but when the decision was made, he expressed his disapproval by not talking to Dravid at the net session at Sussex'.
Dravid too, it seems, wanted to play in the tournament but did not want to take up the issue with the BCCI.
The final squad for the championship will be named on August 6 or 7.
