Mirror has information of a discussion among board members during which a top official, who was closely involved in India's recent tour of New Zealand, felt that a cause for the team's dismal showing Down Under was the players' inability to give their best.
According to him, the team members feared injury ahead of the IPL and were not giving their best. It is no secret that the IPL fetches crores.
This discussion was held on the sidelines of the BCCI's working committee meeting in Bhubaneswar on Friday and this official, who comes from South Zone, made the remark during the lunch break. Over half a dozen board members, including an office-bearer, were in attendance.
"It was a serious and not an off-the cuff remark. He was referring to the poor performance of the team in New Zealand and hinted that the players may not be giving their best," a BCCI member, who was present during the discussion, told this paper.
"He was of the view that the players were not performing to the best of their abilities, lest they get injured before the IPL," the source said. India got thrashed by the eighth-ranked New Zealand both in ODs and Tests.
While the team lost the ODI series 4-0 (with one match ending a tie), the Test series ended 1-0 in favour of the home team. Mirror got in touch with this particular official but he strove hard to deny the comments. "I don't think I've said like that. I don't think so," he said.
"Who told you, I'm sorry I've not said that," the official went on. The office-bearer, who was privy to that discussion, did not reply to messages from this paper. At least a couple officials, who were present during the discussion, however, confirmed this development.
BCCI president N Srinivasan and secretary Sanjay Patel could not be reached for a comment but IPL chairman Ranjib Biswal rubbished the whole thing saying it is a false story.
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