No one is bigger than the sport: Thakur on speculation surrounding Kohli-Rohit equation

Thakur,
who
served
as
the
BCCI
president
from
May
2015
to
February
2017
before
leaving
the
position
after
a
Supreme
Court
directive,
was
speaking
on
the
sidelines
of
the
launch.

“Nobody
is
bigger
than
the
sport.
I
can’t
give
you
information
as
to
what’s
going
on
between
which
players
and
in
which
game.
It’s
the
job
of
concerned
federations
or
associations.
It’s
for
the
concerned
association
to
deal
with
the
matter.
It’ll
be
better
that
way,”
said
Thakur
when
a
question
on
the
speculation
about
the
equation
between
Rohit
and
Kohli.

After
Test
vice-captain
Rohit
was
ruled
out
of
the
upcoming
series
in
South
Africa
due
to
the
recurrence
of
a
left
hamstring
injury,
reports
emerged
that
Kohli
will
take
a
break
from
the
ODI
series
in
the
Rainbow
Nation
to
spend
some
time
with
his
young
family.
This
was
after
Rohit
was
handed
the
reins
of
the
ODI
and
T20I
teams
last
week.

Virat
Kohli
rumours
fly
fast:
Now,
BCCI
denies
Kohli
making
request
to
skip
SA
ODIs

Speaking
about
the
new
Khelo
India
initiative,
Thakur
said
it
will
provide
plenty
of
encouragement
and
opportunities
for
young
players
from
across
the
country
to
show
their
skills.

“For
any
player,
events
and
competitions
hold
a
lot
of
significance
and
before
big
events,
if
leagues
are
introduced
across
the
country,
where
the
players
get
opportunities
to
play,
it
is
great.

“That’s
how
the
Sports
Authority
of
India
(SAI)
has
started
Women’s
Hockey
League
U-21,
Khelo
India
and
I
congratulate
Hockey
India
and
SAI
for
giving
this
opportunity
to
young
women
athletes.

“Cash
prizes
will
be
to
the
tune
of
Rs
15
lakh
and
the
Dhyanchand
Chand
National
Stadium
(the
venue)
is
hosting
big
matches
since
2015,”
the
minister
said.

Thakur
said
such
events
should
be
held
in
others
sports
too.

“I
am
very
confident
that
when
athletes
from
across
the
country
play
in
this
league,
then
it
will
not
only
boost
hockey
but
also
the
regional
players
will
get
a
chance
to
showcase
their
skills
and
among
them,
some
will
get
into
the
Indian
teams
in
future.

“I
think
not
just
in
hockey
but
in
other
sports
too,
something
like
this
should
be
organized.”

He
also
cited
a
particular
initiative
by
the
BJP
MPs
of
Uttar
Pradesh.

“We
have
seen
a
very
successful
initiative
in
Uttar
Pradesh
where
the
elected
BJP
MPs
organized
sports
events
in
which
lakhs
of
players
from
the
state
took
part
in
different
sports.

“It
showed
how
players
when
they
get
a
platform,
come
forward
and
display
the
kind
of
skills
which
would
have
otherwise
been
restricted
to
their
villages.

“But
here,
they
became
champions,
won
cash
prizes,
saw
their
names
on
papers
and
the
association
also
took
note.
If
every
MP
does
the
same,
it
will
be
great
and
SAI
will
encourage
it.”