India vs Australia: Pandya, Rahul suspended pending inquiry

The two had been omitted from the line-up for the opening match in Sydney.

“Both Pandya and Rahul have been suspended pending an inquiry,” CoA head Vinod Rai said.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India has suspended Hardik Pandya and K.L. Rahul, pending an enquiry, for comments made on the TV show ‘Koffee with Karan’.

BCCI legal cell member Indranil Deshmukh advised the Committee of Administrators (CoA), following a request from member Diana Edulji. CoA head Vinod Rai had wanted a two-match ban on a disciplinary count.

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Edulji had also sought the views of BCCI acting president C.K. Khanna, acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary and treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry.

The BCCI action has ruled out the participation of the two players in part or whole of the five-match ODI series against Australia.

Talking to Sportstar, Edulji said: “There is no question of the players staying back in Australia, they have to return to India and face an enquiry. The selectors have been told about the BCCI decision.”

Deshmukh advised BCCI to strictly adhere to Rule 41 of the Constitution and seek an explanation from them as to why they should not be proceeded against for misconduct and indiscipline.

Read: Vinod Rai recommends two-ODI ban for Pandya, Rahul

The note addressed to Edulji said: “The show cause letter (to Pandya and Rahul) should specify that (i) the same is being issued under Rule 41 of the BCCI Constitution and (ii) an enquiry against them has commenced. We are of the view that there is a risk of the communications sent by the BCCI to the players on 9th January 2019 not being construed as a communication under Rule 41 of the BCCI Constitution.

“This is because the said communications dated 9th January 2019 does not contain the specifications/ingredients mentioned hereinabove. Therefore, to ensure that there are no procedural missteps, it would be preferable that fresh communications are issued by the CEO to the concerned players...”

A view among BCCI members is that there is no need to appoint an ad-hoc Ombudsman and that a five-member committee consisting of the CoA, Khanna, Choudhary and Chaudhry should conduct the enquiry.