Former Indian cricket team director Ravi Shastri has suggested that Sourav Ganguly, who was part of the advisory committee for selecting the new Indian coach, has ‘problems’ with him.

This comes less than a week after he lost out to Anil Kumble in the race to become the new coach of the team.

Shastri said in in an interview with The Times of India, “All I can say is that Ganguly wasn't there when I was interviewed and you should ask what problem Ganguly has with me instead of asking me.”

Shastri had first revealed to the Indian Express on Sunday that Ganguly was not present during Shastri’s interview. He later told Mumbai Mirror, "If he was present, he would have asked some questions. I wish he was there."

Ganguly, meanwhile, had refused to comment on the matter saying the interview was a ‘confidential’ matter.  

“The (coach selection) interview is absolutely confidential. I don’t want to talk about Shastri’s comment. You should also ask the other members of the (cricket) advisory committee,” Ganguly told the Indian Express.

But Espncricinfo reported that Ganguly was briefed on Shastri’s presentation by others in the committee, as his absence was pre-planned and the BCCI had been informed about it too.

Reportedly, Shastri’s interview was held between 5pm-6pm which coincided with a working committee meeting of the Cricket Association of Bengal of which Ganguly is the President.