Kumble-Kohli matter was not handled properly: Ganguly

Former India captain Sourav Ganguly on Tuesday said the controversy involving ex-national team coach Anil Kumble and skipper Virat Kohli could have been handled a lot better by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

Talking to reporters here, Ganguly who is part of the Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) of the BCCI responsible for selecting the coach, said: "The matter should have been handled a lot better, Anil Kumble and Virat Kohli. It should have been handled a lot better by whoever is in charge. It wasn't handled properly."

Asked about the news that Ravi Shastri has applied for the coach's job after the BCCI extended the deadline for applications to July 9, Ganguly said: "Everybody has got the right to apply."

Ganguly was on Tuesday named in the seven-member Special Committee formed by the BCCI to identify the critical points in implementation of the Justice R.M. Lodha Committee reforms.

"The committee will face the music from Committee of Administrators," a laughing Ganguly said.

"I don't know what is the exact role. Will have to find out."

Asked about the Lodha Committee recommendations like 'one-state, one-vote', age cap of 70 years for office-bearers, increasing the number of members in the selection panel to five from the current three, and several others, Ganguly said: "There are lots more. There will be a meeting on the 1st (of July). There everything will be decided."

The Special Committee is expected to begin work in the next two days and is likely to submit its first report within a fortnight.

Meanwhile, the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) will have an emergent meeting on July 1 to discuss the way forward with the Lodha Committee reforms.

"We did not have SGM last year. Till the reforms are done it won't happen. We have informed the members of the meeting to discuss what's the way forward," Ganguly added.

--IANS

dm/ajb/bg