A day after warning vice-captain Virender Sehwag for speaking about deposed captain Sourav Ganguly and player burnout, BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah indignantly asked, “how can you call it a media gag on players.”“It is only a policy decision by the board that no player other than the captain, cannot talk about other players, selection and board policies,” he said.Shah’s description of what he told Sehwag varied from a “warning” to an “advice”. What exactly was it, he was asked. “It is a warning. Advice is part of the warning”, was his unusual reply. Shah, however, was clear that no further action was warranted against Sehwag. “The matter is closed”, he said.The board secretary had just one more piece of advice for the vice-captain — he should concentrate on cricket now.Shah said players were free to discuss any problem with the board officials.“If he (Sehwag) had some problem he and the other players needed only to sit across the table with us and sort it out. Why go to the media? Why drag Rahul Dravid’s name and say they had a discussion with board president Sharad Pawar? These are internal matters,” Shah said.“Does he go to the media when he wants an increase in TA/DA or players’ fees?” he asked. Shah said that Sehwag has been allowed to take his wife to the West Indies.THE DEBATE CONTINUES.• The board officials have misunderstood Sehwag’s comments on Ganguly. He only said ‘sometimes we miss him’. There is nothing wrong in that. He only expressed his feelings for a former colleague, and that’s his right — BN Dutt (Ex-BCCI president)• It is unfair. He (Sehwag) had merely expressed his opinion. He had not said anything against anybody. In the given context, what the BCCI has done is incorrect— Ranbir Mahendra (Ex-BCCI president) • When Rahul Dravid comments on Sachin, nothing happens but when the vice captain says something on Ganguly it becomes controversial. It’s really absurd— Sandeep Patil (Ex-Test player)
