Former Team India skipper and a current advisor of the Delhi Capitals franchise, Sourav Ganguly has come under scrutiny after reports claimed that he is conflicted in interest in his Delhi Capitals advisors role while serving as the President of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB).
Sourav Ganguly’s participation in the match involving Kolkata Knight Riders and the Delhi Capitals has come under the scanner. Ranjit Kr Seal and Bhasati Santua, two residents of Bengal have emailed their complaints separately to BCCI ombudsman DK Jain.
Sourav Ganguly is a huge name in the cricketing circuit and his involvement with Delhi Capitals would have surely helped the franchise take some all-important tips from one of the greatest ever captains of all time.
“I would also like to draw your kind attention that on 12th April 2019 (inadvertently quoted 12th May, 2019 in my earlier e-mail), Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) vs Delhi Capital (sic) Match will be played at Eden Gardens, Kolkata. KKR is the local franchisee, who are (sic) closely associated with the Cricket Association of Bengal, more so, Sri Sourav Ganguly is the President of CAB.
“On the other hand, Sri Sourav Ganguly is an Advisor of Delhi Capital (sic). Sir, is it practically possible – in one hand CAB President is supporting in all aspects to the local franchisee to conduct the match administratively and in another way, CAB President is sitting with the team officials of Delhi Capitals as an Advisor. Sir, will it not attract any conflict of interest,” Seal wrote in his letter accessed by The Sunday Express.
Meanwhile, Santua too wasn’t happy with the ways things were handled and felt that KKR being the local franchise, all the matches in Kolkata are played with active administrative support of CAB where Sourav Ganguly is currently the President. He asked why there won’t be a conflict of interest if these sort of circumstances arise.
“KKR is the local franchisee (sic), and all the home matches are being held with the active administrative support of the Cricket Association of Bengal, where Sri Sourav Ganguly is the President,” Santua wrote.
Both the Bengal residents have urged Justice Retd DK Jain to take the matter into his own hands and intervene into the matter as earliest. Thet also wants to protect the spirit of the Supreme Court of Lodha Committee reforms.
It was on 14th March that Sourav Ganguly was roped in by Delhi Ca[pitals as the advisor of the franchise for this edition of the tournament. Sourav Ganguly felt that it wasn’t a conflict as he has stepped down from all committees, the BCCI technical committee and the IPL technical committee. Ganguly added that he has followed the rules and he feels that as the CAB President he won’t influence anything which is concerned to the Indian Premier League.
“No, this is not conflict. I have stepped down from all the committees; the BCCI technical committee and the IPL technical committee. I have followed the rules. I don’t see any conflict, because as the CAB president I don’t influence anything concerned to the IPL. This is also an advisory role, Ricky Ponting is the head, and it’s an honorary role,” the former India captain had said, as he spoke to this paper.
Meanwhile Delhi Capitals CEO Dhiraj Mahlotra stated that Sourav Ganguly had already got the permission of the Committee of Administrators and received all the clearances from the BCCI and then only he agreed to be the advisor with the Delhi Capitals. The CEO feels that s Ganguly has left the IPL technical committee there was no conflict of interest what so ever.
“Sourav has already taken the approval from the CoA. It was only after he received all clearances from the BCCI he agreed to be the advisor with us. He was in the technical committee of the IPL which he has resigned from. So there’s no conflict at all. We have tried to make a lot of changes (this season) to make sure that we are a more dynamic team.”
After the emails sent by the two residents of Bengal, it will be interesting to see whether Ganguly travels with the team for the April 12 face off between Kolkata Knight Riders and the Delhi Capitals. The match will be held at the Eden Gardens in Kolkata.