Harish Kotian / rediff

Nagpur, Mar 5: Board of Control for Cricket in India president Sharad Pawar on Saturday night met coach Greg Chappell and senior players on the eve of the final day of the first Test against England.

Pawar said the board expressed its displeasure over comments made by Chappell on former captain Sourav Ganguly in an interview.

"We told him that he should not discuss Ganguly or any other player and that this is not his responsibility, to which he has agreed. We want to close this chapter here and we do not want to take the issue any further," Pawar said after the meeting.

He said Chappell told him that something he had said casually had been given disproportionate publicity.

He added that the four senior player – captain Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Anil Kumble – also agreed that the issue should be closed here.

Pawar also said: "I am sure that Ganguly will overcome his weakness and will be back. Nobody can stop him."

On reports that Ganguly will go to court over the controversy, Pawar said, "Ganguly is a contracted player of the BCCI and if he wants to continue as a contracted player, he has to abide by the rules of the BCCI. If he is not interested to continue, he is free to take any action he wants."

Pawar, accompanied by BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah and Vidarbha Cricket Association president Shashank Manohar, first met the four players for 30 minutes around 2130 IST before meeting Chappell for about 20 minutes.