BCCI will examine details before taking action on Shastri-Naik spat'

Mumbai, October 26 - Commenting on the controversy over Indian cricket team director Ravi Shastri abusing Wankhede Stadium curator Sudhir Naik for the nature of the pitch during the fifth one-dayer against South Africa, BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur said on Monday that the board needs to first look into the details of the incident before taking drastic action against anyone.

Shastri allegedly made abusive remarks about the track as he crossed paths with Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) curator Naik after the match here on Sunday evening.

South Africa registered a mammoth 214-run win over a spiritless India in the fifth and final One-Day International (ODI) to clinch the series 3-2.

Three centuries from their top order batsmen helped them post a massive score of 438/4 in 50 overs. In reply, India were bowled out for 224. The loss was one of the most humiliating that the hosts have ever endured in home conditions.

The hosts were expecting a spin-friendly track on Sunday, but the curator had prepared a flat track which favoured the batsmen.

"As far as the BCCI taking action as anyone is concerned, whether it is the player or the management or member of the support staff we have made it very clear that the rules and regulations are equal for everyone. The yardstick will be followed in every case. We need to look into the details first and can't straight away take action against anyone," Thakur said while unveiling mobile phone manufacturer Vivo as the title sponsor of the Indian Premier League (IPL) for the next two seasons.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary termed the Twenty20 series and ODI series loss as unfortunate, but asserted that the team will come back strongly before the 2016 World T20 which will be held in India.

"The team management before the game or after the game whether you win or lose, they go into the details. And during the selection meeting also we talk about the future team and current team and how we can better the performance. It is unfortunate that we lost in the ODI series and also the Twenty20 series," Thakur said.

"The ODI series was very interesting and the Mumbai game was like a final game. Unfortunately we couldn’t do well but I am sure, we will recover well and do well ahead of the T20 World Cup," he added.

Speaking on the controversies over corruption and match-fixing plaguing the IPL, Thakur said, "I agree that you can't create success stories overnight and you can't clean up the mess overnight. But I can assure you in the last seven months we have tried our best."

"We understand our role and I can assure the cricket loving fraternity we are here to deliver and make this game more popular. Sponsors are coming our way so that shows sponsors have faith in us and people have faith in the IPL."

(IANS)