Former India cricketer Atul Wassan has expressed his support for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) regarding its directive to the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) to release Bangladesh pacer Mustafizur Rahman from their Indian Premier League (IPL) squad. He called the decision correct and mentioned that actor Shah Rukh Khan was unfairly targeted amid the controversy.
Speaking on the matter, Wassan noted that the uproar surrounding the issue was premature and seemed like a knee-jerk reaction, emphasizing that such matters require time before being judged. “Look, I feel that a completely correct decision has come from the BCCI. The uproar created over the last few days was premature and suddenly became a massive issue. I believe everything should be given time,” Wassan stated.
The former India pacer criticized those targeting KKR co-owner Shah Rukh Khan, highlighting that several franchises had bid for Mustafizur during the IPL mini-auction held in December. “Targeting Shah Rukh Khan was wrong because, apart from KKR, four other franchises bid for the player. They just did not get him. At that time, there was no BCCI directive to not pick him, and the situation with Bangladesh had not deteriorated this much,” he explained.
Wassan further added that public sentiment has made the board’s decision appear justified, emphasizing that India should not support Bangladesh cricket as long as conditions remain adverse. “For an issue to suddenly become this huge, one should have shown patience. It felt like a knee-jerk reaction earlier. Now it seems justified, given the public sentiment. We will not support Bangladesh as long as the situation remains against us,” he said.
He urged stakeholders to approach the issue with maturity, pointing out that there is still time before the IPL commences.
This statement follows the BCCI’s request for Kolkata Knight Riders to release Mustafizur Rahman from their squad, a directive that the franchise eventually followed.
“Kolkata Knight Riders confirms that BCCI or IPL, as the regulator of IPL, has instructed it to release Mustafizur Rahman from the squad ahead of the upcoming Indian Premier League season. The release has been carried out following due process and consultations. BCCI will allow Kolkata Knight Riders a replacement player in line with IPL regulations, and further details will be communicated in due course,” the franchise stated.