Live
- Israel signs 5.2-billion USD deal to purchase 25 F-15 fighter jets
- Pioneering machine learning and GIS in agri-food systems
- Aha OTT Launches Writers Talent Hunt to Empower New Voices in Telugu Cinema
- Chhath festivities turn sour for two families in Bihar
- Preparations afoot for evening Arghya in Patna
- Vanara Celluloid announces debut project ‘Tribanadhari Barbarik’
- IPL player auction: James Anderson hopes IPL would help him in his coaching career
- ‘Jithender Reddy’ team expresses confidence on film’s content
- TN farmers plan major stir against Land Consolidation Act, 2023
- Rahul, Priyanka and Kharge to campaign for MVA in Maharashtra next week
Ball wasn't in my court, was in a vulnerable place: Pandya's defence on 'Koffee' row
“The ball was not in my court,” said Hardik Pandya as he sought to explain his outrageous comments on women in a TV show that led to his suspension and an outpouring of condemnation last year.
New Delhi (PTI): "The ball was not in my court," said Hardik Pandya as he sought to explain his outrageous comments on women in a TV show that led to his suspension and an outpouring of condemnation last year.
Pandya, along with teammate K L Rahul, drew a lot of flak after their loose talk on women on 'Koffee with Karan' went viral, prompting the BCCI to suspend them and institute an inquiry into their conduct.
In his latest statement on the episode, Pandya said things were not particularly in his control during the interview.
"We as cricketers did not know what was going to happen. The ball was not in my court, it was in someone else's court where they had to take the shot and that's a very vulnerable place, you don't want to be (in it)," Pandya told India Today's show 'Inspiration'.
Pandya and Rahul were called back from an ongoing series against Australia at that time and their captain Virat Kohli too was openly critical of their comments on the show. Both eventually came back after explaining themselves and apologizing to the inquiry committee of the BCCI.
While Rahul is currently playing in the T20 series against Sri Lanka, Pandya is recovering from a back injury.
Talking about cricketing matters, he downplayed comparisons with Mahendra Singh Dhoni who owned the No.7 slot before Pandya's arrival into the team. "I'll never be able to fill MS' shoes, so I don't even think that way. I'm quite excited for the challenge to be honest. Whatever I do, it will be always for the team you know. It will be one step at the ladder and slowly-slowly that Cup will be there," he said.
Pandya has not played since September last year but is expected to be back next month after being named in India A squad for the upcoming tour of New Zealand.
