“It’s on top of a conflict of interest. I really wasn’t up for it to that extent. Because you’re not giving chances to your own cricketers. Now with the Indian team I have support staff who can’t work in the IPL. A masseuse with the Indian team cannot work with the IPL team. How is this a conflict of interest now?” He said Indian Express e-station.
Shastri questioned the logic of the conflict of interest clause not being applicable to foreigners working in Indian cricket.
“A coach from another country, an IPL team can come and coach but you are not allowing your players to do that. Conflict of interest is bullshit. For someone like me, not being allowed to do commentary (IPL) when I am the coach of India, how is it a conflict of interest? I am not a selector of any team. How am I going to impress someone by being selected to play for India? however if there is a Ricky Ponting The one who coaches Delhi Capitals can do television in his home country and comment on the players who are with him for Delhi Capitals. Conflicts of interest should be thrown in the bin when it comes to cricket in India. We need our cricketers to get exposure and get back in the system. How will you bring back Sachin Tendulkar or Dravid and contribute to the game if you come everywhere and put a conflict of interest clause?
Asked what he thinks about players having commercial interest in player management firms, Shastri said it should not be so. “Yeah, there it’s different. You need someone who comes in and says it’s not right, there’s a conflict here and there could be consequences in the future,” said Shastri.
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