New Delhi: The feud between Ravi Shastri and Sourav Ganguly has turned ugly as both of them have resorted to taking potshots at each other publicly. But the Indian cricket fraternity is divided on the issue as some believe Shastri is over-reacting while others belive he was wrongly sidelined.
Opening batsman Gautam Gambhir criticised Shastri’s comments and termed him ‘desperate’.
“The way Ravi Shastri is reacting, during interviews and all, it only shows his desperation. According to me, there couldn’t be a better choice for India’s coach than Anil Kumble,” Gambhir told exclusively to ABP News.
“I think Ravi Shastri couldn’t accept the fact that he didn’t get the job. The way BCCI has selected the coach, Anil Kumble was the best choice among all the candidates. It’s no surprise. When Anil Kumble applied for the job, he was the biggest and most professional name,” he added.
Gambhir also rejected Shastri’s claim that India did well during his 18-month tenure.
“Ravi Shastri has been claiming that Indian team was very successful under him but he never told us that India lost ODI series to Bangladesh, lost ODI series to South Africa at home. So if you see, you played two World Cups (50-over World Cup in Australia and World T20 in India) and one of them was held at your home where you could only reach the semifinals. That’s not a big achievement.
“You are trying to show that India became No. 1 in T20s and Tests during your tenure, but what did India win in the last 18 months? You didn’t win an overseas series, you lost to South Africa at home, you went to Bangladesh and lost.
“Why Anil Kumble is the best choice because he himself was a hard-working cricketer and he will bring that attitude to the team. Ask Ravi Shastri how many throw-downs he did in the last 18 months? If you are trying to prove your success with big talks, I don’t think anyone would accept that,” Gambhir said.
Former India international Sanjay Manjrekar and skipper Bishan Singh Bedi shared contrasting views on the raging verbal battle between former captains Ravi Shastri and Sourav Ganguly in the wake of the national coach apppointment.
“More than Sourav, I think Ravi is miffed with the rejection. It’s a new experience for him. BCCI have made the better choice as coach,” Manjrekar tweeted on Wednesday.
However, earlier in the day Bedi supported Shastri in what has become a major controversy.
“Not getting coach’s job apart RJSHASTRI has every reason 2b peeved with selection process whence 1 selector played truant..not above board!!” Bedi wrote.
After he was overlooked for the coach’s job, Shastri slammed Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) Sourav Ganguly for not being present in the meeting when he was interviewed through skype.
Ganguly on Wednesday hit back at Shastri saying that the former India all-rounder was living in “fool’s world” if he held him responsible for the rejection.
Another former captain Anil Kumble was chosen ahead of Shastri as the head coach for a period of one year.