145;Ford was offered 3-year contract146;

Almost three weeks after Graham Ford turned down the offer to coach the Indian cricket team, the Board of Control for Cricket in India added a new angle to the embarrassing episode with BCCI president Sharad Pawar disclosing that the South African was offered a three-year contract.

It was widely speculated that Ford had spurned the job because he was unhappy with the one-year contract offered to him. Pawar said Ford8217;s contract was to be confirmed after the first year of his tenure but surprisingly the BCCI had not made it public till date. 8220;He was offered a three-year contract, which was to be confirmed after the first year,8221; Pawar said, after attending the ICC Annual Meeting here.

Smarting from Ford8217;s snub, Pawar said the Board would be more careful in handling these matters.

8220;In future, we will see that these issues are handled carefully,8221; Pawar said. The BCCI found itself in an embarrassing situation when Ford decided to stay with Kent.

8220;Unfortunately, the person we selected didn8217;t join. We asked him if he was ready to join. He said it was just a matter of 8220;when8221; and not 8220;whether8221; he can join us. He said he wanted to consult his county about when he can join us and then backtracked,8221; said Pawar.