Never said anything slanderous: Shashank Manohar, ICC Chairman

Kolkata: Shashank Manohar spoke to The Telegraph for around 15 minutes on Saturday afternoon. That was soon after Anurag Thakur, the Board of Control for Cricket in India president, had torn into Manohar at a media conference. Excerpts...

Q Members of the Board had been critical of you for months, but always behind closed doors. Now, Anurag has attacked you at a media conference... Your reaction? A I'm not aware of what Anurag has said. Main kya bolun? Okay... But when you do hear and read Anurag's comments, wouldn't you be very upset? Why should I react to anything that is said? Every individual has the right to go about things his way... What I'll say is that I've never said anything slanderous against anybody. Not just that, I don't intend doing so now. Anurag and you had been colleagues and allies in the Board... But I cannot say how one must behave. Many in the Board feel you used it as a platform to become the first independent chairman of the International Cricket Council... It's not my nature to react to what some people may say. You know that, having interacted with me for years... People can make allegations, I don't have to react to those allegations. Have you compromised the Board's position in the ICC? That's rubbish. Show me how. Why should anybody have a problem if I state facts? I've only put the facts out in the public domain. What about the restructuring of the ICC's revenue, leading to a more equitable distribution? The (old) resolution stands. Where has anything been changed? How have I compromised? Let the Board show one instance. Finally... Did you and Anurag speak to each other after the July 18 order of the Supreme Court? I'm not in touch with anybody in the Board, for I have nothing to do with it... No, I haven't spoken to Anurag after the order.