BCCI questions authenticity of Sehwag-Chappell feud reports

New Delhi, Feb 7 (UNI) The BCCI today questioned the credibility of media reports about an alleged feud between Virender Sehwag and Greg Chappell, saying that board president Sharad Pawar was yet to receive a formal assessment on the players' conduct during the tour of South Africa.

''I don't think it will be appropriate to comment on it. The President has not received any such report and I don't think it will be appropriate to say anything on it,'' BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla told reporters after the board's working committee meeting here.

The media reports have centered around an allegedly leaked report of team's manager on tour Chetan Desai.

The report raised doubts on Sehwag's attitude towards the game after being selected for the third Test reportedly at the insistence of captain Rahul Dravid. It says the Delhi player failed to turn up at the nets before the second innings after asking Chappell and biomechanical expert Ian Fraser to be there at the ground.

''We have to verify the authenticity of the report. We cannot comment on what is being shown on television,'' Mr Shukla said.

The report allegedly says that when asked about the reason of not turning up at the nets, merely said that he did not feel like practising. However, Mr Shukla sought to downplay the controversy saying that BCCI's course of action would be decided only after receiving the report.

''Let us get the report first. We will decide what to do afer going though it,'' he said, responding to queries on whether the board will initiate action against Mr Desai for leaking the report.

UNI