AFTER apologising to barbers for incorporating the word ‘barber’ in the title of his home production ‘Billu Barber’ which was later renamed ‘Billu,’ Shah Rukh Khan has now apologised to Indian cricket’s living legend Sunil Gavaskar. It was reported that Shah Rukh said it was better Gavaskar set up his own team if he wanted to ensure his opinion mattered.
Before leaving for South Africa for IPL’s second season, King Khan said, “I have not said anything against Gavaskar. I just wanted to have breathing space to try something new. I have sent him an apology letter because he was in America at that time.” SRK said that “due to the wonderful methodology that the media applies” his comment was given an entirely new shade of meaning that he never even dreamt of. “My comment was directed at people who don’t understand a word of cricket but who still keep telling me how to run the team. If Gavaskar asks me to walk on my head and run the team I will. If Gavaskar says anything that has to do with cricket it should be followed. Because I am aware that he knows and plays the game better than I do,” SRK said.
At a press conference in Mumbai last week SRK stated, “I have great respect for Gavaskar. I have grown up enjoying his performance as well as KR Vishwanath’s and Kapil’s. We all respect him too much. But having said that I would like to request everybody to please give it (the multiple-captain theory) some breathing space. We’ll try it out now. If we fail we can always go back to the traditional way. I have spent a lot of money on my team. If you have a problem then you buy your own team and run it the way you want.” In his column in a national daily, Sunil Gavaskar had panned Kolkata Knight Riders coach John Buchanan for advocating that a team be lead by multiple captains for the IPL’s second season.
Looks like for Shah Rukh, it’s the season to tender apologies one after the other.