Gautam Gambhir has backed Board of Control for Cricket in India president Sourav Ganguly’s candidature for the post of chairman of the International Cricket Council. The former India opener said that it will be good for the country to have representation at that level.
Imran Khwaja had taken over the role of ICC chairman after India’s Shashank Manohar stepped down from the post on July 1.
“I am not privy to what Sourav Ganguly is thinking. But yes, it will be good if India can have their representation in the top management of the ICC,” Gambhir was quoted as saying by IANS. “India deserves democratic representation in the ICC.”
Talking about India’s tour of Australia scheduled for later this year, Gambhir said that he is confident of Virat Kohli and his men defending the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.
India won a Test series Down Under for the very first time during the 2018-’19 tour, with Cheteshwar Pujara, Rishabh Pant and skipper Kohli making key contributions with the bat. The bowling attack thrived as well, with the likes of Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami and Jasprit Bumrah dismissing the Aussie batting lineup consistently.
The upcoming tour, however, will be a bigger challenge as Australia will have the services of star batsmen Steve Smith and David Warner. The duo was, of course, serving a ban when India toured Australia the last time.
As far as Gambhir is concerned, Smith and Warner’s return doesn’t mean India can’t do just as well this time around as well.
“India has the fast bowlers to challenge any team in any conditions. I am sure with success on the last tour of Australia in the bag, if we go to Australia we will be serious challengers to the hosts,” said the 38-year-old.
The 2007 World T20 and 2011 World Cup winner also shared his views on when domestic cricket in India should resume.
“Personally speaking whenever the time is right, cricket in India will resume,” said Gambhir.
“It depends on multiple factors. I am absolutely confident that the BCCI will take a calculated call on this. No one is in a hurry as human lives are far more important. At the same time some bit of cricket will immensely help in uplifting the mood of the nation. So it is a delicate decision... a bit of a catch-22 situation.”