Mumbai: The Cricket Board (BCCI) sought to downplay the controversy over the unavailability of the team blazers and ties prior to the national squad's departure for South Africa on Monday, saying it had happened because of a miscommunication with their sponsors.

"It happened because there was a miscommunication with Pantaloons (the providers of the team's formal wears). We thought they would deliver them to the players and that's the reason we had not asked them to carry their old ones. They will be sent to South Africa soon," said BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah from Rajkot.

"What has happened cannot be set right. But it is not a big issue," said BCCI's Chief Administrative Officer Ratnakar Shetty.

Shah said the late arrival of two Mumbai-based team members, Ajit Agarkar and Zaheer Khan, making a comeback into the squad after a lengthy gap, had resulted in them missing the official team photograph session and they had been warned not to repeat the mistake in future.