Anurag Thakur accuses Shashank Manohar of deserting 'sinking ship' BCCI

Issuing a scathing attack on Shashank Manohar, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) chairman Anurag Thakur on Saturday accused the ICC chairman of abandoning the board when it needed him the most like a 'captain of the sinking ship'.

Thakur's comments came in the wake of Manohar's remarks that he was under no compulsion to look after the BCCI's interests.

"I have to convey the feeling of the BCCI members. I am the president of the board. The members feels today when board needed Shashank Manohar as the president, he left the boat in the middle of the things. It is like the captain of the ship leaving the sinking ship before the other members. He was expected to deliver. But nevertheless whatever had happened has happened," Thakur said on the sidelines of the Duleep Trophy final in Greater Noida.

While seeking clarification from Manohar on his statement about the Test cricket, Thakur questioned as to why the ICC was conducting meetings on the longest-format of the game if it holds no importance.

"And look at the ICC Chairman's statement. He said, who has a time to see a five-day game. Then what the ICC members were doing, meeting for so many days in Dubai. Why we were discussing the Test cricket.

If the ICC Chairman feels , and I think he must make a clarification on that statement," he added.

Amid fierce opposition from the BCCI, the International Cricket Council (ICC) were forced to go back on its proposed two-tier Test format, with the Indian cricket board also questioning the 2017 Champions Trophy's proposed budget.

"When you talk about the two-tier Test system, we stood for countries like Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka. We want to stand with those who want to do well. BCCI has always held of those countries that were not going financially well. We helped them in the past. We will help them in a future as well," he said.

The 41-year-old also justified the BCCI's objection over allotting a budget of approximately 135 million dollars as the organizational cost for the 2017 Champions Trophy.

"Yes, BCCI should look after its interest. BCCI does not only limit itself to look after the board's interest. BCCI being the global leader today will look after the world cricket interest as well. That is why we have raised the issue. When the others kept mum that we want to go through the Champions Trophy budget. BCCI has raised this because BCCI wants every single penny saved. Every single penny saved is every single penny earned. Not only for BCCI but for 105 countries," insisted Thakur.

Earlier, the BCCI had joined Sri Lanka Cricket, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) and Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) to express their reservations about the divisional Test structure.