Indian cricketers Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul have been given seven days to offer an explanation about their alleged misconduct and indiscipline to the BCCI informed the Supreme Court Appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) on Friday.
"The duo is now called upon to provide an explanation as to why they should not be proceeded against for misconduct and indiscipline under Rule 41 of the BCCI Constitution within a period of 7 (seven) days. This is without prejudice to the BCCI's rights and contentions, all of which are hereby expressly reserved," read a press statement by the CoA.
The CoA in accordance with the BCCI has decided to suspend Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul from playing any form of cricket after their comments on a TV show. The duo will now return to India and an inquiry and proceedings will be made against them for misconduct and indiscipline that have been initiated under Rule 41 of the BCCI Constitution.
"In terms of Rule 41(6) of the BCCI Constitution, the players are hereby suspended with immediate effect from participating in any manner whatsoever in any match or function or event or activity that is authorized, organized, sanctioned, recognized or supported in any way by the BCCI, the ICC or any State Association, until final adjudication of the matter," informed the statement by CoA.
The All-India Senior Selection Committee will soon name their replacements for the ODI series against Australia and the tour to New Zealand.
The CoA had first sent out a notice to both players concerned to which the players responded with an apology.
After considering their reply, it was decided by the committee that the BCCI would proceed against both for misconduct and indiscipline.
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Indian captain Virat Kohli has sidelined the team from the controversy saying "We as the Indian cricket team and responsible cricketers don't align with those views, those were individual opinions".
Addressing a press conference ahead of the first ODI against Australia in Sydney on Friday, Kohli added, "From the Indian cricket team's point of view, this changes nothing in our beliefs in the change room, it does nothing to the spirit that we have been able to create. Combinations will have to be thought of once the decision comes out."
Earlier, CoA member Diana Edulji had suggested that the cricketers should be put under suspension till a further course of action is decided for their misconduct on the celebrity chat show 'Koffee with Karan'.
Pandya, who shared the couch with Rahul on the latest episode of Karan Johar's show, faced backlash for what netizens termed 'sexist' and 'disrespectful' remarks on women.
On the show, he bragged about not asking the names of women at parties and how he watched them move on the dance floor.
Later, Pandya took to social media and apologised for the incident saying he "may have got a bit carried away with the nature of the show".