Ravi Shastri vs Sourav Ganguly: Former Team Director defends himself, says BCCI gave him option of Skype

Anil Kumble pipped Shastri to the India top job after getting nod from high profile Cricket Advisory Committee.

New Delhi: A twist to the Sourav Ganguly-Ravi Shastri duel emerged on Saturday with the former Team Director explaining why he could not be present for the interview which took place on June 21.

"I got communication from the BCCI on the 19th (June) that the interview is on the 21st (June). I had left for Thailand on the 15th. No one knew at that time when the interview would be," Shastri was quoted as saying according to a report in ET Panache.

Earlier, Ganguly — one of the one of the Cricket Advisory Committee members along with Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and coordinator Sanjay Jagdale — said that Shastri did not respect the India coaching job enough to appear in person before the interviewing body.

"And their mail categorically said that since it (the interview call) is at short notice I could make myself available on Skype at a particular time," Shastri added.

"I was out of the country and the BCCI did give me the option of Skype. Besides, Tom Moody and some other candidates did the interview on Skype. What's the difference? In this day and age, half the world operates on video-conferencing," he explained.

Yesterday, Shastri resigned from his post as media representative in ICC’s prestigious Cricket Committee.

Incidentally, the chairman of ICC Cricket Committee is Anil Kumble, who pipped Shastri to the India top job after getting nod from CAC.