Ranbir Singh Mahendra attacks BCCI for gag on players

New Delhi, May 10 (UNI) Former BCCI President Ranbir Singh Mahendra today came down heavily on the present board regime for gagging the cricketers and said instead of throttling the players' opinion, the board would do well to heed to their views.

Mr Mahendra said it was very unfortunate that the board verbally warned Virender Sehwag after the Team India vice captain had said that the team missed axed captain Sourav Ganguly and revealed that the senior players had met BCCI top brass to draw their attention to players' burnout.

''It was very unfortunate the way Sehwag was warned. He had not rebelled against the board, nor did he question the board policies. He had no complain against anybody and it was just some of his observations and still he was warned,'' Mr Mahendra told UNI over phone.

''I know he is a contracted player but everyone has the liberty to express his views on several things and this was not that serious an issue to invite a warning,'' he opined.

Though Mr Mahendra admitted there were similar restrictions on the players during his tenure at the helm of the board, he said, ''It's not that players did not talk to the media then and none had any objewction to that.'' He also felt that the Board should talk to the players' regarding players' burnout.

''I heard they talked to Sehwag and (Rahul) Dravid. But I think they should take others in confidence as well. It's a team game after all and you have to take everybody with you,'' he added.

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