The multiple captains theory is turning into a major controversy
The multiple captains theory is turning into a major controversyu00a0
Season Two of the Indian Premier League did not need an on-field or outside-the-dressing room clash like the Harbhajan-Sreesanth one last year to make it memorable. Shah Rukh Khan has ensured the public have a spicy
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WHAT'S COOKING: Sourav Ganguly with SHah Rukh Khan |
curtain-raiser to this year's drama through his reaction to Sunil Gavaskar's critical column on Kolkata Knight Riders' coach John Buchanan.
Shah Rukh told journalists yesterday that he admired Gavaskar for his feats but indicated amply that he was not impressed by what the batting legend wrote about his coach in SUNDAY MiD DAY and other papers.
What the Bollywood god was actually trying to put forward is, 'this is my team. I spend the money and I know what I am doing.'
Not qualified?That Shah Rukh brought up the fact that Gavaskar did not play the latest form of the game was enough of a hint that he felt he was not exactly qualified to pass judgment on what his team and support staff look like.
Sure, it's Shah Rukh's money. But it is also Gavaskar's opinion. It's not the first time the batting legend has slammed Buchanan. So his ferocious attack should come as no surprise to those who continually read/agree/disagree with Gavaskar.
Let there be no doubt that Buchanan's flabby support staff sounds ridiculous. Imagine having a wicketkeeping coach for two wicketkeepers in the squad and an assistant coach who enjoys the luxury of an assistant or two. Gavaskar calls the KKR owners "poor souls" in his piece which gives one the impression that they were fooled into paying for Buchanan's support system. But Shah Rukh, through his comments last night, made it clear that the extra coaches were roped in with his knowledge, support and blessings.
Gavaskar's detractors may feel that he went off-track when he wrote about Buchanan's failures during his otherwise successful stint with the Australian team.
Australia's loss to England in the 2005 Ashes was written about.
Ditto, the loss to Bangladesh in Cardiff the same year. Even the mighty West Indies faltered at times. They failed to win a series in New Zealand at the height of their powers in 1979-80 and famously lost the World Cup final to India in 1983. Surely, that didn't mean that Clive Lloyd was a poor leader of men.
However, Shah Rukh Khan may be criticised in some quarters for saying, "If you have a problem, then buy your own team and run it the way you want."
The fact is that Gavaskar is not queuing up to buy any team. He is a media personality whose job is to express an opinion for his readers.
Kolkata Knight Riders didn't need anymore controversy after the Ganguly-Buchanan show. Or was yesterday's tough talk by King Khan also aimed to be reminder to his players as to who the boss is?
