— PHOTO: VIVEK BENDRE

WALKING THE TIGHTROPE: BCCI president, Ranbir Singh Mahendra, had a tough time warding off questions from the media after having brokered an uneasy truce between Sourav Ganguly and Greg Chappell.

MUMBAI: Indian captain Sourav Ganguly and coach Greg Chappell were asked by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to shake hands and work together in the interests of Indian cricket.

"In view of the decision that cricket is to go forward, both the coach and captain have been asked to work out a mutual and professional working relationship," said Board president Ranbir Singh Mahendra, speaking on behalf of the six-member BCCI review committee, adding: "for this, performance will be the criteria, applicable to captain, coach and players."

Ganguly, Chappell and the Indian team manager for the Zimbabwe tour, Amitabh Choudhary, were asked to appear before the committee, in session from 12.30 p.m. to 5.00 p.m.

"Afterwards, the captain and coach re-assembled before the review committee and gave assurances of working together in the interests of Indian cricket," said Mahendra.

Asked whether the Board had specified any area of responsibility to the two, he said: "Of course, the captain controls the game, the coach does his own job. Mutual trust is important."

No answers

No answers were forthcoming from the Board chief, during the media briefing on Tuesday, about the review committee's recommendations or solutions to the issues raised by Ganguly during a press conference on the Zimbabwe tour or on Chappell's e-mail to Indian administrators.

Apart from Mahendra, Board secretary S.K. Nair and former chief Jagmohan Dalmiya, former India skippers Sunil Gavaskar, S. Venkataraghavan and all-rounder Ravi Shastri were on the panel.

Mahendra informed about the review committee decision, forwarded to the Board's working committee for ratification, to bar the captain, coach and Indian players from writing in the media or have any interaction with the media.

"Henceforth, no player/captain/coach will write or have any interaction with the media. Going to the media will lead to disciplinary action.

All this has been taken keeping the interest of Indian cricket in mind," said the Board chief, without clarifying whether the media gag applies to the current controversy featuring Ganguly vs Chappell only or should be construed as a policy decision applicable to all situations and across all forms of media.

Investigation

The Board chief when specifically asked to name the person responsible for Greg Chappell's e-mail that was leaked to a Kolkata daily, said:

"The leak is being investigated by us." He did not specify whether the Board had appointed a person or group of people for the purpose of investigation.

The detailed Chappell e-mail, sent from Zimbabwe to Mahendra among others, raised questions about Ganguly's physical fitness, attitude to training and teamwork, besides credibility as a leader.

Mahendra referred to the coach's assertion that Ganguly seemed to fake injuries when facing pace bowlers on fast tracks. "Referring to the point attributed to the coach about the captain faking injury, the committee has come to the conclusion that there is some miscommunication between the individuals concerned and whatever was stated is far from the truth."

India pace bowler Ashish Nehra, present at the hotel when the review committee was in session, was not called to appear before the panel, said the Board president.

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