Sehwag chaper closed after warning: Niranjan Shah

Mumbai, May 10 (UNI) The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) secretary Niranjan Shah today said no further action was warranted against Sehwag as the matter is closed.

Sehwag had called Shah yesterday to seek permission to take his wife to the West Indies which was granted. At the same time he was administered a verbal warning-cum-advice. The players are merely barred from talking about ''other players, selection and Board policies''.

Talking to reporters, Mr Shah refused to call the decision as a media gag on players.

''It is only a policy decision by the Board that the players other than the captain, cannot talk about other players, selection and Board policies'', he argued.

Shah said players were free to discuss any problem with the Board officials and if he (Sehwag) had some problem he and the other players need only to sit across the table and sort it out instead of going to media.

Referring to dragging Rahul Dravid's name in this controversy, he asked why drag Rahul Dravid's name and say they had a discussion with Board President Sharad Pawar? These are internal matters.

''Does he go to the media when he wants an increase in TA/DA or players' fees,'' he asked.

In reference to the player burnout issue raised by Sehwag, the Board secretary said the BCCI was approached by all the Cricket Boards to play matches in order to boost their revenue.

''Playing against India at home or here means big money for the other cricket boards. That's the naked truth and we need to help them and we have to abide by the future tours programme of the ICC.

UNI JM MAZ CH DB2340