CHENNAI: Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul are set to face suspension as BCCI’s leadership is contemplating the quantum of punishment for the controversial comments the two recently made on a talk show.

Committee of Administrators head Vinod Rai has recommended a two-match ban after not being convinced by Pandya’s response to the show-cause notice issued by BCCI. Diana Edulji has sought the inputs of the board’s legal team.

Meanwhile, acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary and treasurer Anirudh Chaudhary have called on CoA to hand the duo a sterner punishment, with the latter even suggesting that they be banned from the upcoming IPL if they have breached BCCI’s contract regulations.

As of Thursday evening, BCCI was yet to release any statement regarding where Pandya and Rahul stand before India’s first ODI against Australia, which starts on Saturday. But sources indicated that Pandya and Rahul are unlikely to be considered for selection until further word. There is a strong chance of them being banned from the entire leg. 

Soon after Pandya replied to the show-cause notice issued by BCCI CEO Rahul Johri on Wednesday evening, Rai wrote: “The apology has obviously been drafted by the agency. Doesn’t appear sincere.”
He further asked Diana to suggest the penalty, which could be different for the two. But after watching the talk show, Rai recommended a two-match suspension on Thursday morning, as he wasn’t convinced by Pandya’s reply.

“I have seen the remarks made by these two players on the show in print today. Very crass. No apology can cover it. I think we need to give both of them a two-match suspension,” Rai wrote. 

While Edulji has consulted the legal team, she also involved the secretary and treasurer in the matter. Treasurer Chaudhary, citing the harsh bans handed out to Steve Smith, David Warner and Cameron Bancroft by both Cricket Australia and CoA for the ball-tampering controversy, wrote: “The players who appeared on the show have definitely brought the game and Indian cricket and cricketers into disrepute by their words and admitted conduct. The consequences for bringing the game of cricket into disrepute are definitely something which will have to be considered.

“It would be pertinent to note that the Committee of Administrators had, in those facts and circumstances (Smith and Warner), also taken the decision to ban those players for the IPL 2018. What also has to be kept in mind is whether the punishment, if the players are found guilty of violation of rules etc. or for bringing the game into disrepute, is going to be a token punishment or one that proves to be a deterrent for such acts and words.”

Chaudhary also went on to suggest that the two-match suspension looks like a stop-gap arrangement. He said that Pandya and Rahul should be allowed to join the team “only once they have gone through a proper sensitisation in addition to serving a ban, if imposed upon them”.

“In any case, the entire team and support staff must go through a sensitisation process. The CEO may join them as well, as recommended by advocate Veena Gowda,” he added.

Chaudhary also questioned whether the duo sought permission for appearing on the show, while stating that even journalists are not allowed access to players. He also feared how activities like “these” leave players vulnerable to honey-traps, a point mentioned in ICC’s anti-corruption code.
Secretary Choudhary drew parallels with the sexual-harassment charges that had been raised against Johri, pointing out the “hurry with why issue is being treated”.

Taking a dig at Rai and Johri, he wrote: “When a show cause indeed had to be issued, neither legally nor morally could it have been signed by a most tainted person himself (Johri sic). And I may add something as basic as this at least could have been understood by the person (Rai sic) issuing instructions to the tainted issuing authority.”