Suspensions on Pandya, Rahul lifted

Baroda all-rounder set to join squad in NZ

New Delhi: The suspensions on Indian cricketers Hardik Pandya and K L Rahul were Thursday lifted by the Committee of Administrators (CoA), two weeks after they were sent home from the tour of Australia due to their sexist comments on a TV show. 

The 25-year-old Pandya is expected to take the earliest available flight to join the team in New Zealand for an ongoing limited-overs series, while Rahul might play in either the domestic circuit or show up for India A in the home series against England Lions, a BCCI source told PTI. 

Pandya and Rahul's crass comments on the show 'Koffee With Karan', where they spoke about hooking up with multiple women, were criticised by one and all and led to a social media storm. 

While Diana Edulji wanted the BCCI office-bearers to be involved in deciding the fate of the two cricketers, CoA chief Vinod Rai had dismissed the suggestion as it would have been in violation of the Board constitution. 

The CoA said the decision to suspend the two was taken under "Rule 46 of the approved BCCI Constitution", which covers players' conduct that can bring the Board into disrepute. 

The idea of letting the players get on with the game was first mooted by BCCI acting president CK Khanna, who wanted the suspensions to be lifted pending inquiry.

"I did not wish this issue to turn into an administrative mess. For me, it was paramount that Hardik and Rahul return to action and inquiry can also simultaneously continue. 

If Ben Stokes could continue playing while the court case was on, why can't that be applicable for Pandya and Rahul," Khanna told PTI referring to the England all-rounder's role in a much-publicised brawl outside a pub.

Rai had initially sought a two-match ban on the duo but that suggestion was shot down by Edulji, who sought legal opinion on the matter. 

The subsequent drama left the two cricketers in lurch and triggered a debate on whether they deserved to be punished so severely. 

Former India captains like Rahul Dravid and Sourav Ganguly, in fact, went on record to say that "it's time to move on" as both would have learnt from their mistakes.