Players are family, they will be consulted on endorsements : Shukla

New Delhi, Apr 11 (UNI) The BCCI today toned down its tough stand in the aftermath of the World Cup debacle, saying the players' are a part of the Board's family and their interest will be taken into account before putting a cap on the number of endorsements.

''We are not against any specific players but those who have more advertisements than they should have will have to put a cap on their endorsements,'' BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla told reporters after Sharad Pawar announced holding the second Afro-Asian Cup in India here.

Mr Shukla also denied that the selection committee was instructed to go for younger players in place of the seniors, instead said they were asked to keep the juniors 'motivated'.

Mr Shukla also termed as ''absolutely trash'', the reports that Indian cricketers were selected in the team on pressure from the agents of the players.

''That's absolutely trash. We are not concerned about agents.

It is solely done by the selectors,'' he said.

Asked whether there was a gag on Team India players not to speak to the media, Shukla said, ''That has always been there.'' ''Which Board has allowed the players to talk to the media about their colleagues ?,'' questioned Shukla in an vieled reference on the Board asking Sachin Tendulkar and Yuvraj Singh to explain their stand on speaking to the media.

He also added ''Greg did not speak to the media. He (Greg) has denied that.'' Facing a begillerent posse of mediapersons in the aftermath of the disastrous World Cup campaign, Mr Shulka was at pains to explain the steps BCCI was taking to improve the confidence of cricket-crazy fans in the country.

He admitted that it would take some time for the Board to implement all its plans, adding ''the marathon meetings held on April 6 and 7 will change the fate of Indian cricket.'' UNI