Need you back in Indian cricket: Sourav Ganguly to Anurag Thakur

Former Indian batsman and skipper Sourav Ganguly has shown trust in ex-BCCI president Anurag Thakur, stating that Indian cricket needs him back. Thakur wished Ganguly on his birthday on Sunday (8th July) and in reply, Dada tweeted back asking Thakur to renew his association with Indian cricket in some way or the other. Ganguly’s tweet read, “Dear Anurag thank u so much … need u back in Indian cricket …”

The former Himachal Pradesh Cricket Association (HPCA) chief was elected as the BCCI president in May 2016 after Shashank Manohar was promoted as the Chairman of the International Cricket Council (ICC). Thakur has been a Member of Parliament for a while now and was the winner of the Best Young Parliamentarian Award in 2011. In his first-class career, Anurag has represented the stated team in a Ranji Trophy match against Jammu & Kashmir.

Here is Ganguly’s tweet

Dear @SGanguly99 birthday ? greetings! Wish you a lovely time w/ friends & family, may you continue to inspire our budding cricketers! pic.twitter.com/BS1K5DvCyP

— Anurag Thakur (@ianuragthakur) July 8, 2017

dear Anurag thank u so much … need u back in indian cricket …

— Sourav Ganguly (@SGanguly99) July 8, 2017

The apex court last year in December ruled Thakur guilty of perjury in relation to him seeking an intervention via a letter from the ICC in order to evade the implementation of the Lodha Committee recommendations. Subsequently, the court removed Thakur and Ajay Shirke from their respective posts of BCCI president and board secretary in January 2017 for their failure to bring transparency to the Indian cricket board.

Instead, a new four-member BCCI Committee of Administrators was appointed by the Supreme Court on January 30. The CoA is now functioning as the new interim bosses of the governing body. Also recently, Thakur has been asked by the SC to tender afresh an apology before it in a contempt case initiated against him. Facing proceedings for his contempt, Thakur revealed to the SC that the ‘contemptuous” portion of his affidavit was dictated by the ICC chief Shashank Manohar.

After being sacked as the president of BCCI, Thakur’s career as a cricket administrator was on the edge. However, it now seems that he has found an unlikely ally in the former Indian captain.