M A I N   N E W S

Vengsarkar assigned to tick off men in blues

New Delhi, November 24
The Indian cricket team’s Durban disaster notwithstanding, the BCCI today ruled out removal of coach Greg Chappell and rushed its chief selector Dilip Vengsarkar to South Africa on a damage-control mission amidst fresh calls for recall of Sourav Ganguly in the squad.

“There is no question of sacking him (Chappell). Till the contract is there, there is no need to interfere in it,” Pawar told reporters here.

“It is true that their performance was not up to the mark and there is tremendous scope to improve... But one should not forget that it is the same team, the same captain and the same coach which had given extremely good results in Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the West Indies,” the BCCI chief pointed out.

The Indian team’s humiliating 157-run defeat in the Durban one-dayer against South Africa has evoked strong criticism from cricket fans and Parliamentarians many of whom demanded the sacking of Chappell.

In an apparent fallout of Sunday’s thrashing, Pawar asked Vengsarkar to proceed to South Africa and convey the disappointment of the nation.

“I had a detailed discussion with the Chairman of Selection Committee. I requested him to go to South Africa immediately or as early as possible, discuss with the coach, captain and players and communicate the feelings of the countrymen,” Pawar said.

There was, however, some confusion on when exactly Vengsarkar would board the flight with a BCCI functionary. — PTI