Cricket: Relief for 'tainted' Indian players, suspension lifted temporarily
Updated 13:51, 25-Jan-2019
Sports Scene
["china"]
In a massive relief for two "under fire" Indian cricketers, Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul, the all-powerful Committee of Administrators (CoA) by the Board of Cricket Control for India (BCCI), the country's governing body of the sports, has lifted their suspension for the time being and have given go-ahead to play for India in international cricket. 
Soon after the CoA decision, the BCCI has cleared Pandya, an all-rounder, join the Indian team in New Zealand for the ongoing one-day international series. On the other hand, Rahul will join India A squad in the city of Thiruvananthapuram in the Indian state of Kerala to play against England Lions.

BCCI passes the ball to Ombudsman's court

Vinod Rai, the member of BCCI CoA, also a chairman of the India Banks Board Bureau, pauses during a Bloomberg Television interview at the Credit Suisse Asian Investment Conference in Hong Kong, China, March 28, 2017. /VCG Photo

Vinod Rai, the member of BCCI CoA, also a chairman of the India Banks Board Bureau, pauses during a Bloomberg Television interview at the Credit Suisse Asian Investment Conference in Hong Kong, China, March 28, 2017. /VCG Photo

Earlier on Thursday, the CoA issued a statement which read: "The Committee of Administrators ("CoA") had, by emails dated January 11, 2019, and in exercise of Rule 41(6) of the Constitution of BCCI, suspended Mr. Hardik Pandya and Mr. K.L. Rahul in view of the allegations of misconduct against them, pending adjudication of the allegations under Rule 46 of the approved BCCI Constitution."
"Since the adjudication of all allegations of misconduct against any cricketer registered with, inter alia, the BCCI is required to be undertaken by the BCCI Ombudsman, whose appointment is pending directions of the Hon'ble Supreme Court of India, the CoA is the of the view that the interim suspension orders dated January 11, 2019, should be presently lifted with immediate effect. The above matter and decision have been taken with the concurrence of the Learned Amicus Curiae, Mr. P.S. Narasimha."
"In view of the above, the suspension orders dated January 11, 2019 is immediately lifted pending appointment and adjudication of the allegations by the BCCI Ombudsman."

An off-field row that hit Indian cricket

Indian cricketer Hardik Pandya (L) celebrates with teammate Lokesh Rahul (C) after dismissing Sri Lankan cricketer Niroshan Dickwella (R) during a Test match against Sri Lanka in Colombo, Sri Lanka, August 6, 2017. /VCG Photo

Indian cricketer Hardik Pandya (L) celebrates with teammate Lokesh Rahul (C) after dismissing Sri Lankan cricketer Niroshan Dickwella (R) during a Test match against Sri Lanka in Colombo, Sri Lanka, August 6, 2017. /VCG Photo

Incidentally, both Pandya and Rahul were thrown out of the Indian team during their tour of Australia following their controversial statements on a television talk show. 
Their "sexist" and "misogynist" remarks on the show, anchored by well-known Indian filmmaker Karan Johar, caused a massive uproar across India and there was a public outcry demanding strict punishment for the duo. 
However, the BCCI and their all-powerful CoA failed to come out with final punishment after suspending the duo from playing cricket indefinitely. 

Former Indian icons urge for leniency

India A coach Rahul Dravid during a tour match between ECB XI vs. India A at Headingley in Leeds, England, June 17, 2018. /VCG Photo

India A coach Rahul Dravid during a tour match between ECB XI vs. India A at Headingley in Leeds, England, June 17, 2018. /VCG Photo

The delay over the decision on their fate once again sparked a row as several former cricketers raised their concerns over the delay in deciding the fate of the two young cricketers and urged the board to give them a chance to bury the ghost of the past and make a fresh beginning.  
In an interview to leading Indian newspaper The Hindu, Rahul Dravid, one of the Indian cricketing legends, said: "It is not that players did not make mistakes in the past. It is not that mistakes will not be made in the future despite our best efforts to educate the youth. But let us not overreact please."
Former cricketers VVS.Laxman (L) of India and Michael Clarke of Australia interact with the media ahead of the India-Australia cricket series, September 12, 2017. /VCG Photo

Former cricketers VVS.Laxman (L) of India and Michael Clarke of Australia interact with the media ahead of the India-Australia cricket series, September 12, 2017. /VCG Photo

Another Indian cricketing icon VVS Laxman too echoed his contemporary Dravid's viewpoint, "Being a cricketer in India is very tough. How many of us, at the age of 17, have to handle crores of rupees? It's not easy. It's easy to handle failures but it's difficult to handle success."
While addressing the audience at the recently held The Hindu Lit for Life, the elegant batting maestro, added: "The kind of adulation one gets makes you feel like a king. Whatever you ask is given."

All eyes on the final fate of duo

As a result of the off-field controversy, Pandya not only faced a massive social media backlash but was also dumped by one of his leading sponsors, Gillette and was also stripped off his honorary membership of the prestigious colonial-era club in Mumbai, Khar Gymkhana.
With the BCCI top mandarins ultimately paving the way for the rehabilitation of their two promising cricketers, at least for the time being, their fate is now on the discretion of the Ombudsman.