Give the idea a chance: Shah Rukh Khan

Actor Shah Rukh Khan explained on Sunday that Twenty20 matches offered scope to usher innovative and pioneering ideas.

He said his team Kolkata Knight Riders’ coach John Buchanan’s novel captaincy musings should be given every chance to be experimented with before being trashed.

“My team is in South Africa to prepare for the IPL. The team will play four matches and Buchanan’s ideas will be tried before it is taken forward in the competition.”

Shah Rukh, was on stage with D. Shivkumar Vice-President and Managing Director, Nokia India (Nokia is one of KKR’s partners for IPL) to announce consumer engagement initiatives.

‘With all due respect…’

Reacting to Sunil Gavaskar’s scathing criticism on Buchanan in his column, Shah Rukh said: “that’s the only column I have read about Buchanan’s multiple captaincy idea. I have mailed the article to everybody in the KKR team advising them not to take it too seriously.

“I grew watching players like Gavaskar, G.R.Viswanath and Kapil and I respect their cricket. I cannot react or counter Gavaskar’s views. His knowledge of cricket is a billion times more than mine.

“There’s lot of gameplay in Twenty20 which Gavaskar may not have indulged because he’s not played Twenty20. One-day cricket that was called pyjama cricket raised scorn among many followers of the game initially, only to be accepted by one and all.

“Similarly Twenty20 matches happen very fast and with it come fresh ideas like the slower deliveries and different field placements. Buchanan’s thoughts will be experimented and if it fails, we can always revert to the traditional captaincy role.

“Team Mohali had different captains last year. If some people have problems with it, they should buy a team and run it the way they want.”