BCCI clarifies that there is no clash of interest with http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ravishankar-Jayadritha-Shastri-c84254 – Cricket News Update
The Board of Control for Cricket in India has turned down suggestions that the former http://www.senore.com/Cricket/India-c750 skippers and the world class commentators, Ravi Shastri and Sunil Gavaskar had a “conflict of interest” while performing their role as TV commentators.
Both Shastri and Gavaskar have signed an annual contract of Rs 3.6 crore apiece with the Board of Control for Cricket in India and it is being alleged that the duo speak the agenda of BCCI while commentating.
However, the BCCI Vice-President Rajiv Shukla has strongly rebuffed the allegations saying that they are “independent commentators” and that the board never dictated them on what they speak.
"There is no conflict of interest. BCCI does not dictate them on what they should speak. They are independent commentators and what they speak is purely their opinion," said Shukla while talking to the media reporters. "BCCI pays them for their professional
qualities…These are trivial and frivolous allegations," he added further.
The BCCI vice-president, strongly condemning the allegations, said that Shastri and Gavaskar are outstanding commentators and have an international reputation. He further added that whatever they have achieved so far is because of their personal talent and
that the BCCI never tried to influence the duo while discharging its role as TV commentators.
Both Shastri and Gavaskar also rejected the suggestions that the BCCI contract is hampering them from freely airing their views.
"In fact it helps me," said Shastri, "because now I get to see both sides of the coin before saying something. It's left for the viewers to judge whether I am biased or shackled, and the viewer is no fool," he added further.
The 49-year-old former Indian all-rounder, who played 80 Tests and 150 One Day Internationals for India, said that it was a coincident that his views on the controversial Decision Review System (DRS) were same as that of BCCI.
Shastri insisted that his 20-year-long commentary career speaks for him and it does not matter whosoever pays him. He said that he had strong views on cricket which he expresses freely without getting dictation from board or anybody.
Sunil Gavaskar also stressed that his contract with the BCCI has not affected his commentary and he still speaks his mind on air.
I always speak my mind, and I'm always honest on air. I am not under instructions from anyone that I shouldn't talk about this or talk about this," said the former Indian skipper.
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