New Delhi: Amid reports of a rift within the Indian cricket team in Australia, former captain Kapil Dev on Wednesday urged the BCCI to step in and sort out “difference of opinion” among players.
“The captain (Dhoni) may have a different opinion and normally his opinion is respected. I think the BCCI will have to step in and sort out the matter with the players for the good of the team and country,” said Kapil at a cricket clinic for youngsters at the Australian High Commission here.
“I would not want it to call a rift within the team but would prefer to term it as difference of opinion. It’s difficult to comment on the issue because we don’t know what exactly happened there in Australia,” Kapil said.
Asked further how a senior player like Sehwag could not have been told about the reason for the rotation policy among the openers, Kapil said, “Even the parents have different opinions and we should not play it up.
“The players will have to understand that they are carrying the reputation of the country. If there is a misunderstanding it should be sorted out. They are playing for the country,” he added.
Kapil said that in his opinion Sachin Tendulkar should have retired from one-day cricket on a high after India won the World Cup last year, but it was upto the player to call it quit or not.
“I am nobody to say when Sachin Tendulkar would retire. But in my opinion he should have quit ODI on a high after Indian won the World Cup. But that is my opinion. I think I can have my opinion? But it’s him only to decide,” he said.
“He (Tendulkar) enjoys playing cricket and has achieved so much for the team and for the country. What more we can expect from the little man.
“But if I was in his (Tendulkar’s) place I would have said after India won the World Cup that I have achieved so much in cricket for the team and for the country and it’s now time for some other player to come in,”,” said the 1983 World Cup-winning captain. (PTI)