Recent controversial statements given by BCCI president Sourav Ganguly
Hoping to provide a strong defence for India’s much-criticised first-choice wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant, who has tested COVID-19 positive in England, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly ended up making another problematic statement.
Ganguly, the former India skipper, reinforced how Pant was only enjoying the three-week break that the BCCI and the team management had allowed its players post the completion of the World Test Championship (WTC) final against New Zealand. But he also offered an inappropriate remark on one necessary health safety precaution.
“We have seen Euro Championship and Wimbledon in England. Rules have changed (with the crowd being allowed inside venues). They were on leave,” he told News18, before also mentioning, “it’s physically impossible to wear masks all the time.”
While Ganguly was only looking to defend Pant amid heavy trolling of the young cricketer since Thursday (July 15) when his positive test first came to light, a slightly loose statement on masks left a bit to be desired since it can easily be misconstrued.
At a time when the pandemic continues to run rampant across the world, there is a need for popular figures like Ganguly to play a role in promoting all the mandatory health protocols. Hence, a statement that it’s impossible to wear masks all the time is not advisable.
This, of course, isn’t the first time that Sourav Ganguly has offered a controversial take on something since taking over as the BCCI president. Below is a list of contentious remarks made on various topics by the ex-cricketer turned administrator.
Sourav Ganguly took over as BCCI president back in October 2019
Other instances when Sourav Ganguly has quoted controversy
“She is too young a girl to know about politics”
During the winter of 2019, when the country was experiencing widespread protests over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), Sourav Ganguly’s daughter Sana Ganguly made an Instagram post with the reference from Khuswant Singh’s book against the Indian government.
While Sana was widely praised for her awareness and standing up for the people’s rights by many, Ganguly, in a tweet made soon thereafter, said the post on Instagram is “not true” and his daughter is too young to understand anything about politics.
“Please keep Sana out of all these issues … this post is not true … she is too young a girl to know about anything in politics,” Ganguly had tweeted.
Please keep Sana out of all this issues .. this post is not true .. she is too young a girl to know about anything in politics
— Sourav Ganguly (@SGanguly99) December 18, 2019
The excerpt taken out of Khushwant’s book which Sana’s story highlighted were as following: “Every fascist regime needs communities and groups it can demonize in order to thrive. It starts with one group or two. But it never ends there. A movement built on hate can only sustain itself by continually creating fear and strife.”
BCCI President @SGanguly99's daughter Sana Ganguly just won my heart by this post. Incredible maturity from an 18 year old. pic.twitter.com/wQN5eyfY6G
— Aparna (@chhuti_is) December 17, 2019
“Indians more tolerant to mental health issue than overseas cricketers”
Ever since cricket has resumed amid the COVID-19 pandemic last summer, one common concern raised by cricketers from India and abroad has been about the mental health.
With cricketers having to go through lengthy pre-series quarantine periods and enduring multiple bio-security protocols, including regular testing and hotel confinement, bubble fatigue has emerged as a major issue.
India skipper Virat Kohli has been the flagbearer of the need for authorities to look after the players’ mental well-being while the global outbreak persists. Kohli has time and again reinforced how challenging it has been for him and his players to cope with the stringent bio-bubbles.
With that in mind, it was quite ignorant of Sourav Ganguly when on the heels of the IPL 2021 in April he said, “I feel we Indians are a bit more tolerant than overseas (cricketers)” when it comes to the mental aspect. “I’ve played with a lot of Englishmen, Australians, West Indians, they just give up on mental health,” Ganguly added, as quoted by Hindustan Times from a virtual event.
Not only is that disrespectful towards the mental battle fought so earnestly by overseas cricketers in the bubble life, but also creates a wrong impression and environment where an Indian player feeling fatigued may hesitate before putting those concerns forward with the BCCI.
“There is a lot of women’s cricket happening”
Since taking over office, the Sourav Ganguly led BCCI apex council has faced a lot of criticism for their alleged mishandling of women’s cricket in India. The Indian women’s team played no cricket for a year after reaching the final of the T20 World Cup in Australia till hosting South Africa for a limited-overs series in March. This, even as the board found a way around the pandemic to execute a full-fledged men’s IPL in UAE last year and organised a tour Down Under besides hosting England in multi-format series.
The Indian board was also called out for not distributing the prize money earned from being the runners-up at the T20 World Cup amongst the players on time and also for the inappropriately low annual contracts fee allocated in separate categories to the female cricketers.
Amidst all this, Sourav Ganguly offered a defence of his regime, stating that they are organising a lot of cricket in the coming months for the women’s team, citing the tours to England and Australia ahead of next year’s 50-over World Cup in New Zealand.
“What to do? We have been living with this deadly virus. Other than the men’s cricket, we had the women’s IPL. South Africa women played here,” Ganguly said in an interview to Sportstar.
“Our women are going to play Test cricket after eight (seven) years. They play a Test in Bristol and six ODIs and T20Is. Would you still accuse me of not supporting women’s cricket? West Indies will come and play in India.”
“There is a lot of women’s cricket happening. We had to cancel the women’s IPL and schedule it for September-October. Now the women’s team is leaving for England on June 2. They have a lot of cricket there. They have got England, Australia. Then South Africa comes here. Some of them are playing 100-ball cricket in England. Some are playing the Big Bash in Australia. Then they go to New Zealand for a series, and then they play the World Cup.”
“I’ll forbid Sana because girls have no reason to play cricket”
Another controversial statement from Ganguly involved his daughter Sana again, as during an event last year he said he wouldn’t encourage if she wants to play cricket.
In a question-answer session with Bengali news channel ‘ABP Ananda’, Ganguly was asked what would his reaction be if his daughter says she wants to play cricket?
In response, Ganguly said in Bengali, “Sana ke baaron korbo. Meyeder cricket khelaar dorkaar nei” (“I’ll forbid Sana because girls have no reason to lay cricket”).
A disappointing comment from a father who doubles up as the BCCI president, especially at a time when more and more girls are taking inspiration from the likes of Mithali Raj, Jhulan Goswami, Smriti Mandhana, Harmanpreet Kaur among others and want to represent India the highest level.