Pandya and Rahul submit unconditional apology: The suspended duo has submitted unconditional apology to the BCCI.
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India opening batsman Lokesh Rahul and all-rounder Hardik Pandya have submitted an unconditional apology to the Board of Control for Cricket in India for their inappropriate comments on renowned talk show Koffee With Karan.
Earlier left out of the ongoing Sydney ODI, the duo has now returned back home. Other than the ongoing tour of Australia, the duo will also miss the tour of New Zealand. In opening batsman Shubman Gill and all-rounder Vijay Shankar, BCCI announced replacements for the suspended duo yesterday.
“Yes, Hardik and Rahul have submitted their reply to the fresh show-cause notices that were served to them. They have tendered unconditional apology. The CoA chief has instructed the CEO to conduct an inquiry as per clause 41 (c) of the new BCCI constitution,” a senior BCCI said.
CoA chief Vinod Rai had expressed his opinion regarding the final verdict on the matter being made before the second ODI. However, CoA member Diana Edulji wants a special inquiry to be conducted on both the players despite the duo submitting apology to the fresh show-cause notices.
In a recent e-mail to Edulji, Rai mentioned that the ‘BCCI is not in the business of ending young careers’. Laying emphasis on interest of cricket in India, Rai ensured that the inquiry is by no means a measure to ‘cover up’ the entire story.
“Please be assured that the desire to conduct the inquiry is not a desire to ‘cover up’. The interest of cricket in India has to be kept in mind. The off the ground act of the players was deplorable. It was crass as I said immediately after reading the comments,” Rai wrote.
“It is our responsibility to reprimand them, take corrective action, sensitise them of their misdemeanour and then get them back on to the ground once they have suffered the consequences,” he added.
