Ganguly backs BCCI on India-Pakistan series decision

Ganguly was the captain when India won the ODI and Test series touring Pakistan in 2004

Former Indian captain Sourav Ganguly, as reported by crictracker.com has backed the decision of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to scrapped the India-Pakistan series. Recently, the BCCI's secretary Anurag Thakur announced that a bilateral series between the two neighbours was unlikely because of the political instability.

Thakur spoke to the media immediately after a gunfight in the Gurdaspur district in Punjab which is close to India's border to Pakistan. The violence led to several civilian casualties. Even as Indian security agencies didn't say anything about who is responsible, Thakur, who is also Member of Parliament from ruling Bjartiya Janta Party said that the time is not right for a cricket series with their neighbours.

Ganguly commented on the same issue by saying that BCCI's stand on the ties is correct.

“I think BCCI is correct in saying that terror will have to completely go before play could happen. Because as human beings we also want terror to completely go. So this has always been the case with an India-Pakistan series.

The 43-year-old added that people go through a lot on the border and we feel for them.

"As much as we understand that it is entertaining and it is a high-profile series, we cannot take away the sufferings which the people go through at the border especially after what happened in Gurdaspur yesterday (Monday),” he said. “This has been going on for while. When we went to Pakistan in 2004, I was fortunate enough to be the captain of the side and we won the Test and the ODI series, for the first time in Pakistan. That series happened after 15 years,” crictracker.com further reported.

Ganguly also spoke about the recent Sreesanth verdict saying that the dialogues should take place soon between BCCI and Sreesanth,

“I think he has been cleared by the Delhi court and the BCCI has said that the disciplinary action on him continues. And I believe he has been relieved by the Delhi court of criminal charges. I think the BCCI gives an opportunity to every player to come back and play and I think a dialogue would happen between BCCI and Sreesanth,” the website quoted Ganguly.