Ganguly-Shastri row: Bishan Bedi blasts Sourav for 'playing truant'

The raging verbal battle between former captains Ravi Shastri and Sourav Ganguly over the selection process for Team India's chief coach's post is escalating with new players joining the fight.

The latest to dive into the row is former India skipper Bishan Singh Bedi, who has come out in support of Shastri and attacked Ganguly for playing 'truant'.

"Not getting coach's job apart RJSHASTRI has every reason 2b peeved with selection process whence 1 selector played truant..not above board!!" Bedi posted on Twitter.

After being pipped to the coach's post by Anil Kumble, Shastri had slammed Cricket Advisory Committee (CAC) member Sourav Ganguly for not being present in the meeting while he was being interviewed through Skype.

This led to former India batsman Sanjay Manjrekar taking a dig at Shastri. Manjrekar in his tweet suggested that Shastri was just not used to being rejected by BCCI.

Veteran India discard Gautam Gambhir has also spoken about the controversy to a leading news channel.

Gambhir was critical of Shastri's comments about ganguly having been 'disrespectful'.

Gautam Gambhir

"Ravi Shastri's comments only shows his desperation. Kumble is the best choice, he is hard working person," Gambhir told the channel.

Ganguly, meanwhile, has finally hit back at Shastri for his negative comments saying that the former India all-rounder was living in "fool's world" if he held him responsible for the rejection.

Commenting on Ganguly's counter-attack, Bedi expressed sadness that the two former India captains were fighting and that it would make the media and the non-cricketers among BCCI officials.