CK Khanna, the acting president of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has urged the Committee of Administrators (CoA) to lift the suspensions on KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya.
Both the Indian cricketers have been suspended pending an inquiry for their sexist comments on a celebrity talk show ‘Koffee With Karan’, following which the Supreme Court has opted to appoint at ombudsman.
As per a report in the Times of India, Khanna has requested the CoA to let Pandya and Rahul be available for the New Zealand series and suggested that the inquiry be carried out simultaneously.
“I suggest that pending inquiry, we reinstate both the cricketers in the Indian squad immediately and allow them to join the team in New Zealand at the earliest,” Khanna wrote in a mail to the Supreme Court-appointed CoA and the BCCI office-bearers.
BCCI acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary, apparently sides with Khanna on the matter. The acting president also requested a meeting between CoA and authorities of the BCCI. “They made a mistake, and they have already been suspended and called back from the series against Australia. They have also submitted an unconditional apology. We must not keep their careers in a limbo,” the letter stated.
Khanna also refused to call a special general meeting of the board, as demanded by some state units. “As per the constitution of the BCCI, an ombudsman can be appointed at the Annual General Meeting (AGM). But the matter (appointment of ombudsman) is already sub-judice,” Khanna wrote, replying to BCCI treasurer Anirudh Chaudhry.
