By IANS,
New Delhi : Cricketing great Sunil Gavaskar is livid with the media for pronuncing him guilty of various issues connected with the Indian Premier League and speculating over his future in the Indian cricket administration.
The legendary batsman told television channel CNN-IBN in a written reply that the media has already presumed that he is helping IPL Kochi franchise, and that he has been sacked from the commentary team for the upcoming India-New Zealand series.
“How could I help the consortium since I did not even know who were the other investors apart from Gaikwads? In what way is it a conflict of interest when to win a franchise it was a sealed bid and the highest two were going to get the franchise of their choice?”
“I have now decided that since the media, both print and electronic, have already made up their minds and the angle which they are going to take, my reactions to any queries only serve to give their programme or article credibility. It does not in any way change their line of attack. In the eyes of the Indian media, you are guilty till you are proved innocent,” Gavaskar said.
Gavaskar said he was approached by Rendezvous Sports and he decided to help them.
“Many others in the past also approached me for guidance on how to get a franchise and my response was the same to all. ‘Bid higher than the others and you will get a franchise’.”
Asked whether his exit from the IPL Governing Council has any connection with the Rendezvous Sports approaching him, Gavaskar said: “I declined to be on the governing council simply because I think that former players on it need to be remunerated for the expertise, experience, inputs and time they give to it and the credibility they bring to the GC. The IPL is a commercial enterprise after all.”