Srinivasan refutes Vengsarkar charges

Vengsarkar alleged on Thursday that his tenure as chairman ended abruptly by the then BCCI treasurer Srinivasan for picking Virat Kohli over Tamil Nadu’s S Badrinath in 2008.

In a media interaction, Srinivasan categorically stated that he had no role in the selection of any particular individual into the Indian team. 

“It has been brought to my attention through certain media reports that Dilip Vengsarkar, former Indian national cricketer has made some statements regarding me to the effect that his tenure as chairman of BCCI National Selection Committee was cut short because I did not agree with a particular decision of his in 2008. I didn’t interfere in selection matters. What is the interference he is talking of,” Srinivasan questioned.

Srinivasan further said he was pained by the accusations coming as they were from a former cricketer, who had been a beneficiary of welfare schemes initiated by him. “I have no animus towards Vengsarkar, who himself was a beneficiary of the benefit schemes initiated by me.   

India Cements in 1994, contributed Rs one lakh for his benefit match,” he added. Srinivasan gave a point-by-point rebuttal of Vengsarkar’s charges clarifying that the former India batsman lost his post as selection committee chairman in 2008 as he chose to continue as vice-president of Mumbai Cricket Association. 

“At the AGM of BCCI in 2008, the reappointment of the selection committees and various other committees were taken up, as was the norm. At that time, Vengsarkar chose to continue as vice-president of Mumbai Cricket Association and hence could not be considered for the post in any of the selection committees,” he pointed out.

Srinivasan took strong exception to Vengasarkar’s comments that he chose to back one player from his state at the expense of another. 

“The allegation that one player was dropped in favour of another player who was selected for the Indian squad in the tour to Sri Lanka in 2008 which is the decision that allegedly resulted in his removal itself is not even borne out by the events in 2008 as both the players ultimately represented India in that squad,” the former Board president added.