Lele defends BCCI

NEW DELHI, SEPT 18: Despite all the muck-raking over Sachin Tendulkar and Ajay Jadeja's plans for Toronto, the secretary of the Board of ...

NEW DELHI, SEPT 18: Despite all the muck-raking over Sachin Tendulkar and Ajay Jadeja8217;s plans for Toronto, the secretary of the Board of Control for Cricket in India BCCI, Jaywant, Lele categorically denied that the 8220;Board went wrong in handling the situation.8221;

8220;We did not go wrong anywhere,8221; he told newsmen who sought his views on the status of the four Toronto-bound players. 8220;The Sahara Cup is a bilateral tournament where changes are possible and allowed. We have gone through the ICC International Cricket Council and World Cup rules. Some give-and-take concessions are always possible and granted in such tournaments. I don8217;t think it was such a big issue to be blown out of proportion,8221; he said.

Lele said the issue of sending replacements was 8220;handled by the Board president, Raj Singh Dungarpur. 8220;I did not discuss anything either with IMG the sponsors of the tournament or the Pakistan Cricket Board.8221;

8220;Anyway, Tendulkar is now scheduled to leave for Toronto tonight and join the rest ofthe team for the last game against Pakistan on Sunday,8221; he said, putting to rest the uncertainty over the former captain8217;s departure.

On the splitting of the teams for the Sahara Cup and the Commonwealth Games which led to a dismal performance in both the competitions, Lele said, 8220;it was a foregone conclusion when we decided to split the teams. Anyway, things are over. We should talk about the future.8221;

MINI WORLD CUP IN JEOPARDY: Lele expressed doubts on the mini World Cup scheduled for next month in Dhaka in light of the current flood situation in Bangladesh. 8220;The ICC is closely monitoring the situation and will take a decision,8221; he said adding that an outbreak of epidemic was apprehended in the aftermath of the floods.

Asked if India would volunteer to host the tournament if needed, he said, 8220;We are not equipped. Moreover, October is not the right time to hold matches in many places in India.8221;