Pandya, Rahul suspended pending inquiry; to be issued fresh show cause notices
New Delhi, Jan 11: Indian cricketers Hardik Pandya and K L Rahul were Friday suspended pending an inquiry into their outrage-evoking comments on women during a TV show, ruling them out of the ODI series against Australia starting Saturday.
The cricketers, who have been in the eye of a storm following their sexist remarks on 'Koffee with Karan', were omitted from the line-up for the opening match in Sydney.
"Both Pandya and Rahul have been suspended pending an inquiry," the Committee of Administrators (CoA) chairman Vinod Rai told PTI.
A source in the BCCI said the two will be issued fresh show cause notices before a formal enquiry begins.
"Whether it will be an internal committee of the BCCI or an ad hoc ombudsman who will conduct an inquiry, is yet to be ascertained," the official said.
"The Indian team management will take a call on whether they would want to keep the two with the team or send them back. There is a school of thought that they be kept with the team as the backlash back home could be severe but majority in BCCI brass is against the decision," he added.
In case the two are brought back from Australia, the likes of Rishabh Pant and Manish Pandey will be in contention to be their replacements.
"It won't be surprising if two from Vijay Shankar, Shreyas Iyer, Manish Pandey or Rishabh Pant are flown Down Under," the source said.
The decision to hand them suspensions came after Rai's CoA colleague Diana Edulji recommended suspension till further action against the two. This was after the BCCI's legal team refused to declare the duo's comments a violation of the code of conduct.
Edulji had initially suggested a two-match suspension for the duo but referred the matter to the legal cell after Vinod Rai agreed with her and recommended the same.
"It is imperative that players be put under suspension till further course of action is decided for this misconduct as was done in case of (BCCI) CEO (Rahul Johri) when he was sent on leave on sexual harassment matter," read Edulji's response to the legal opinion which is in possession of PTI.
Their remarks on the show were also condemned by India captain Virat Kohli, who called them inappropriate and asserted that the side does not stand by "those individual opinions".
Pandya had boasted about hooking up with multiple women and being open about it with his parents during the interview. Rahul was, however, a shade more restrained in his responses on relationships and women.
It is speculated that the BCCI might bar players from appearing on entertainment shows owing to the ongoing furore.
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Shivakumar will become CM after ongoing winter session of Karnataka legislature: Cong MLA
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): Karnataka Congress MLA Iqbal Hussain on Friday claimed that D K Shivakumar will become the chief minister after the ongoing winter session of the state legislature here.
The MLA from Ramanagara was among the ministers and legislators, who met for dinner, along with Shivakumar, late last night.
"MLAs from various constituencies have come for the session; it is a rare opportunity for all of us to meet. During the session, we meet each other. We had dinner together. What's there in that? Can having food together be called a show of strength?" Hussain told reporters here in response to a question about the dinner meeting.
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Asked whether only those close to Shivakumar were invited for the dinner, he said, all are friends and close to each other.
To a question whether Shivakumar gave any good news during the dinner, the MLA, who is considered close to the Deputy CM said, "I'm giving the good news. He will become (CM) after the session, he will become. What's wrong with it?"
He said, "....Shivakumar will get a chance, he will become the chief minister now."
Replying to a question about statements that Shivakumar will become if it is written in his fate, Hussain said, "Everything will happen if the god has written in one's fate....We are all confident that Shivakumar has a chance for his efforts, struggle, and organising the party. We have told the same to the high command, the high command will decide."
According to Hussain 50-55 Congress legislators met for dinner late last night.
Though leaders term it a casual dinner meeting, speculation is rife as it had taken place amid a power tussle in the ruling party, over the CM post.
Stating that the Congress is a disciplined party and no one is above the high command, Hussain said, the leadership will take a final decision on the CM issue.
"Numbers are not important here. We should be committed to the decision they (high command) make. They have said that everyone should abide by the party discipline and abide by their decision. This is the party culture, too. We will abide by their decision," he said.
The power tussle within the ruling party had intensified amid speculations about a change in chief minister in the state, after the Congress government reached the halfway mark of its five-year term on November 20.
However, both CM and Deputy CM had recently held breakfast meetings at each other's residences, on the instructions of the high command, which is seen as a move to pause the leadership tussle between the two and to signal Siddaramaiah's continuation as the CM for the time being, especially ahead of the Belagavi legislature session. The legislature session that began on December 8, will go on till the 19th.
