Poor Anushka has been dragged into it: Farokh Engineer takes U-turn on tea-cup fiasco
Former Indian cricketer Farokh Engineer took a U-turn after facing backlash over his comments regarding national selectors and Indian actress Anushka Sharma. Engineer made some shocking comments in an interview to the Times of India, in which he bashed the Indian selection committee and said that he had seen the members of the panel serving tea to Virat Kohli's wife Anushka Sharma during 2019 World Cup in England.
Anushka, who is the wife of Indian captain Virat Kohli, took to Twitter to break her silence on the media reports.
On Twitter, Anushka wrote a lengthy statement in which she quoted multiple controversies in the past, where her name was linked up to sensationalize the reports. (Read: Anushka Sharma breaks silence on Farokh Engineer's claims)
After facing backlash, Engineer took a u-turn on his comments and claimed that those comments were made in the jest of the moment.
“I just said it in a jest and it’s being made a mountain out of a molehill,” Engineer was quoted as saying by Republic TV.
“Poor Anushka has been dragged into it, she is a lovely girl. Virat Kohli is a brilliant captain and coach Ravi Shastri is extremely good. The entire matter is being blown up unnecessarily. It turned out to be a selector as he was wearing an all India blazer.”
"Yes, this incident had indeed happened. But I am not criticizing Anushka. She is such a lovely and charming lady. A wonderful human being. She and Virat Kohli are role models. I am not her detractor at all. If she has felt offended I apologize to her. I am so sorry if she felt bad. My ire was only against the selectors whom I found probably not doing their job. Nothing against Anushka or Virat," Engineer added.
Earlier, selection committee chairman MSK Prasad also lashed out on Engineer after his comments.
"Let's not forget that this selection committee has been appointed by BCCI through a proper process in an AGM," Prasad added.
Prasad feels that it's time that Engineer behaved his age as it doesn't behove his stature to pass such nasty comments about anyone's wife, be it Indian captain or any ordinary man.
"Someone at the age of 82 should reflect maturity and enjoy the progress of Indian cricket from his time to the current day."
