IPL 2020: Shreyas Iyer’s comments on Sourav Ganguly helping him raises conflict-of-interest issue

Prior to Delhi Capitals’ opening match in the 2020 Indian Premier League (IPL) against Kings XI Punjab on Sunday, September 20. Shreyas Iyer caught a bit of limelight. Right after the toss, while speaking to commentator Simon Doull, the DC captain said that he was “really lucky” to have Ricky Ponting and Sourav Ganguly mentoring him and it has sparked a controversy.

Iyer’s comments raised eyebrows as Ganguly is currently the president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Sourav was roped in the DC camp in 2019, but he had to leave after taking up the administrative role in the BCCI.

After Iyer named him, a number of franchises and even BCCI officials have said that the former’s comments would have been understandable had he credited Ganguly in general.

“It would’ve been understandable had Iyer credited Ganguly in general, considering he was there as mentor with Delhi Capitals until last year. But Iyer specifically mentioned Ganguly as part of the unit that’s been helping him this year too,” franchise owners and other board members said.

Shreyas Iyer lauds Ganguly

Before DC’s first match, Iyer praised Ganguly and Ponting for helping him become a better individual, temperamentally.

“As a captain, you need a very good temperament and I think I’ve gained that over the years. Obviously, when you have the likes of Ricky Ponting and Sourav Ganguly around you, they make your job easy,” Iyer had said.

“And I’m really lucky to be having them (Ponting and Ganguly) around me right now,” he added. Following the mini-controversy, Iyer clarified that his words were nothing, but gratitude towards them for his “personal growth”.

He took to Twitter and wrote, “As a young captain, I am thankful to Ricky and Dada for being a part of my journey as a cricketer and captain last season. My comment yesterday was to emphasise my gratitude towards the role they both have played in my personal growth as a captain.”

Here’s Iyer’s tweet: –

As a young captain, I am thankful to Ricky and Dada for being a part of my journey as a cricketer and captain last season.

My comment yesterday was to emphasise my gratitude towards the role they both have played in my personal growth as a captain.

— Shreyas Iyer (@ShreyasIyer15) September 21, 2020

The Capitals started their campaign with the win over KXIP’s KL Rahul after the match went into the Super Over. The likes of Kagiso Rabada, Marcus Stoinis and Axar Patel turned out to be their top-performers on the day.