Availability factor went in favour of Wright: Muthiah
The availability factor went in favour of former New Zealand skipper John Wright, who was
appointed coach of the Indian cricket team, Board of Control for Cricket in India president A C Muthiah said on Thursday.
Wright won the job, ahead Australians Geoff Marsh and Greg Chappell, the other two contenders in the fray.
Speaking to reporters in Bombay, Muthiah informed that Wright will take
over from Anshuman Gaekwad after the one-off Test against
Bangladesh, on a year's contract, which will be renewable.
"Wright would be getting more or less the same as the Indian players, plus the boarding and lodging when he is here," Muthiah said, adding: "There will be no assistant coach under Wright."
When queried about the other two Australian contenders
for the job, Muthiah said former Aussie opener Marsh could not
spare the time the board wanted while Chappell had demanded a
very high price.
Speaking about the CBI report on its match-fixing investigation, Muthiah said statements in it were
"absolutely unwarranted and lacked accuracy".
He said: "The BCCI, after serving the game
sincerely for all these years, did not deserve such comments.
"We will study the report in detail and the board will spare
no efforts to take suitable action as per our regulations.
"The board, as the controlling body of cricket in India,
will make all efforts to save the game of cricket from the
evils of betting and match-fixing. The members of the board
are committed to the common goal of clean and untainted
cricket in India."
Muthiah said H Madhavan, former CBI additional
commissioner, appointed by the board as probe committee
in-charge, would go through the report and recommend the
course of action to be taken against the guilty players within
15 days.
"The ICC's anti-corruption investigating officer Paul
Condon will visit India to look into the allegations made by
the CBI against foreign players including Alec Stewart of
England, Brian Lara of West Indies, former Sri Lanka skippers
Arjuna Ranatunga and Arvinda De Silva, former Pakistan skipper
Salim Malik.
"All the countries are working together and we want to
weed out this evil of match-fixing in the game and I
personally am looking at the bright future of the game," he said.
Related column:
Chappell vs Wright vs Marsh
Mail Cricket Editor
