Sunil Gavaskar says he’s willing to lead BCCI

Batting legend Sunil Gavaskar said he was willing to step in as president of the Indian cricket board Thursday after the Supreme Court recommended he take over from embattled incumbent N Srinivasan.

“There is nothing that you can do if the Supreme Court – the highest court – asks you to do something, that’s it,” the retired opening batsman, who is now a television commentator, told the NDTV network “The fact that I am contracted to the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) to do TV commentary has to be put on record. After that if the honourable Supreme Court tells you to do something, then of course ... if they ask me to do something, I will do it.

“As an opening batsman, you must be ready for all kinds of challenges. I will do everything to the best of my abilities. If the highest court is reposing this faith in me, I’ll be very happy to do what they ask me to do.”

Gavaskar’s comments came after judges proposed he take over on an interim basis as president of the BCCI from Srinivasan who has so far defied their calls to stand down during a probe into illegal betting.

While part of the investigation revolves around Srinivasan’s son-in-law, the 64-year-old Gavaskar said the BCCI president must be regarded as “innocent till proven guilty”.

“I cannot pass an opinion on what Supreme Court feels as I am not a legal man,” he added.

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