Pathan's bookie revelation should've been made in 2006: Bedi

Never short of a spicy view, former India captain Bishan Singh Bedi wondered why discarded all-rounder Irfan Pathan decided to reveal that a suspected bookie presented him expensive gifts during the 2006 tour of Pakistan now.

"I can understand that he is no longer in the spotlight, but he should have said this then," Bedi told MiD DAY yesterday. "There is no point in getting into the limelight now. He should have been more discreet with his views in these times."

Contrary to claims made by the cricketer, who last figured in India colours in 2008, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said it has no knowledge of the incident. Recently, MiD DAY learnt that Irfan was approached by a suspicious character on a tour of England. When asked for a reaction, he said, "I cannot reveal anything to you from here (Sydney) over the telephone, unless I meet you in person. I also need to consult the BCCI to reveal anything of this sort, if it happened," said Pathan., who was in Sydney recently for treatment.

Yesterday, BCCI secretary N Srinivasan and Chief Administrative Officer Ratnakar Shetty told IANS that the Board was unaware of Pathan's claims. "We have no such information about any stranger presenting expensive gifts to Irfan. At least I am not aware about it," said Srinivasan.

"I was in a team hotel when a stranger approached me. He sent three expensive gifts to my room. He later sent me two more expensive gifts, things I couldn't afford," Pathan was quoted as saying by Times Now.

"I thought it was wrong as I didn't know this person. I reported it to the team manager who then alerted the ICC Anti-Corruption and Security Unit Officer,"u00a0 he recalled. Pathan said he never saw the "stranger" again.