Sourav Ganguly talks up difficulties running Indian cricket amid global COVID-19 pandemic

Ganguly took charge as the BCCI President in October last year.

Sourav Ganguly | AFPSourav Ganguly's first tenure as BCCI President couldn’t have been more challenging as he is running the board amid the global COVID-19 pandemic and making sure Indian cricket doesn't suffer.

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The former India skipper had taken charge as the 39th BCCI President in October 2019 and his term will end in September this year. But so far, 4 months out of his 8-month stint have been rocked by the Coronavirus crisis.

It remains to be seen whether Ganguly will get an extension or not. Meanwhile, media reports also suggest that the current BCCI chief is being considered front-runners to become the next chairman of International Cricket Council (ICC).

Talking about his tenure as BCCI boss on the latest episode of India Today Inspiration, Ganguly on Saturday (July 11) said: "This is unreal. For 4 months we haven’t been to the officie in Mumbai. This is my 7th or 8th month as BCCI president out of which 4 months have been taken away by Covid. So we have been working on video conferencing but that’s what it is. I can’t change it. I have to accept it and try and do the best I can in this situation.”

"I don’t know whether we will get an extension or not. If we don’t, we don’t, I move on to something else. At the moment, the last 8 months as BCCI president, 4 months I have been sitting at home," he added.

While the international cricket resumed with the ongoing Test match between England and West Indies in Southampton, Team India are yet to hit the ground running with a proper camp in wake of the COVID-19 outbreak.

However, Ganguly sees light at the end of the tunnel with sports resuming elsewhere.

"I can see light (at the end of the tunnel). All of us want to see light, because we want to get out this and see normal lives back where we can hug each other, shake hands with other without being scared, sit next to each other without being scared. Sports has started, football has started, tennis has started which is good because life can’t wait.

"Having said that, the fear is a bit more than what more than what it was in March and April. The numbers are a bit more than what it was in March-April, especially in India.

"This is a unique country, so from that point of view, as much I am optimistic, my optimism comes with a little bit of fear. I go to the office to work. I am scared. Fifty percent of the people I work with have been told to work from home. I still have 3 or 4 people who are working who are still scared. I am exposed, my people are exposed.

"My brother works, my brother runs all our factories. He is the most exposed. All of us are exposed. The problem is there is not one person who is not exposed and knows how not to get exposed," Ganguly said.

 
 

By Salman Anjum - 12 Jul, 2020

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