Malhotra is ICA President, can’t talk without knowing facts: Gaekwad

By Debayan Mukherjee

Kolkata, July 21 (SocialNews.XYZ) Former India batsman and coach Anshuman Gaekwad has expressed his shock at the allegations made by Indian Cricketers' Association (ICA) President Ashok Malhotra who has questioned his and Shantha Rangaswamy's style of functioning as representatives of the association in the BCCI Apex Council.

In a video, Malhotra had alleged that both Gaekwad and Rangaswamy are not 'proactive' enough while representing the ICA at the BCCI Apex Council and more needs to be done for the association.

"What does he mean by 'proactive' I want to know. We have taken up matters with BCCI and I don't want to spell it out every time to him, I am doing my job," Gaekwad told IANS on Tuesday.

"Before making such statements and challenging my and Shantha's integrity he should have called me and asked about the status. I would have told him what happened in the four Apex Council meetings. But without finding out, if he keeps firing in the air.. I don't know why he is saying such things," said the former India batsman.

"He must also realise that BCCI has got a lot of other things on their plate. Whether it is financial, or ICC or IPL or court cases. This is a new regime right, all are new. The best part is they are not saying 'no'. They are saying we will look into it in due course. And now times are also difficult everywhere. Everyone is working from home. There are very serious issues which are being discussed in the Apex Council."

Malhotra also said recently that the fate of domestic cricketers -- something very close to the heart of BCCI President Sourav Ganguly -- doesn't matter to him or the ICA and he is only concerned about the demands made to the board by them. His statements were made two days before the Apex Council meeting last week.

"How can he make such statement. He is the ICA President. There are certain rules and regulations and restrictions on things you say. You cannot just go on talking without knowing the facts," said Gaekwad.

"What will the current players think, he says I'm not concerned. Then you say I didn't mean it. It's not done. I don't like anybody challenging our integrity. In reality, it's just a question of time. There are developments which I can't spell out now but ICA matters are very much on track," he added.

"I know the BCCI has got a lot of things on their agenda like Bihar Cricket Association, they are talking about domestic cricket, they are talking about whole lot of things, I as an ICA President or ICA as a whole we are not really concerned about it, we are more concerned of what we have asked for, and that is the duty of Apex Council to deliver," Malhotra had said in the video accessed by IANS.

Source: IANS