Kapil was consulted before sacking - Bindra

IS Bindra has challenged the veracity of Kapil Dev's remarks about the BCCI © AFP

IS Bindra, the president of the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA), has issued a strongly-worded response to Kapil Dev's remarks that the Indian board did not inform him of its intention to sack him as the director of the National Cricket Academy (NCA).

"Kapil has been saying ad nauseam that no one from the Board has met him to tell him why he has been relieved of his responsibilities as NCA chairman," Bindra wrote in his column on the PCA's official website. "Let him touch his heart and admit what had been discussed when he met the Board president on July 16 and then me, a couple of days before the ICL launch."

"Both Sharad Pawar [the BCCI president] and I have made it clear to him that his position as chairman of the NCA would be untenable once he had made up his mind to take up the ICL directorship. He had even been told about the working committee resolution to the effect. "

Kapil was sacked as NCA head last week and had, in response, criticised the BCCI's refusal to talk to him prior to his sacking. "They [BCCI] did not bother to talk to me before announcing this. I think they felt it was below their dignity to talk to me. They have been doing this for the last 70 years and I'm afraid they will continue like this," Kapil told Aaj Tak, a Hindi news channel.

Bindra, a former president of the Indian board, also said Kapil was showing disrespect to former players with his statements to the media. "It is funny to find Kapil saying players are scared to talk against the Board as they are looking for some crumbs like a coach's post or manager's assignment. It is not only insulting but also grossly unfair to some of our highly respected former players."

"Does it mean he has kept quiet for over a decade only to enjoy positions like the coach of the Indian team, chairman of the grounds and pitches committee, consultant for fast bowlers and the NCA chairmanship?".

The BCCI sacked Kapil - who is chairman of the ICL's executive board - a day after the league announced a host of new recruits.