Bedi not fazed by demands

Bishen Bedi has said he is unconcerned by demands from Muttiah Muralitharan’s management and lawyers for monetary damages. On Tuesday his manager Kushal Gunasekara announced on Indian TV that a “letter of demand” had been sent to the former India spinner, claiming 750,000,000 rupees (US$7,000,000) after the latest in a series of “derogatory” remarks about the Sri Lankan’s bowling-action.

Bedi said he was not worried, however: “I am a free man and I have a right to express my opinion,” the 60-year-old was quoted as saying by newspaper The Times of India. “I haven’t said anything new. Everyone knows for years my views on the matter.”

He added that the ICC should take the blame for the case: “It’s not poor Murali’s fault. My grouse is against the ICC, which may yet rue this decision”, the paper quoted him saying. “Cricket has been a part of my existence for as long as I can remember and I can’t bear to see the spirit of the game being flouted. Murali’s success has prompted kids from Sri Lanka to Maharashtra to Gujarat to emulate his action. Can that be a good thing for cricket?”

Gunasekara has said that the team of lawyers hired by him have given Bedi 14 days to respond to their letter, and will await his response before deciding whether to file court action against him.