Hit hard by an unexpected controversy after the high of the Test triumph, India will look to fine tune their World Cup preparations in the three-match ODI series against an under-fire Australia, beginning in Sydney on Saturday.
Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul have provided a big distraction for the Indian team by making “inappropriate” comments on women during a TV show.
The team management didn’t announce a shortlist for this game, as is now the norm, and will wait to hear from the BCCI on the two players’ availability. Considering the enormity of this developing situation, it is unlikely that both Pandya and Rahul will be available for at least the first ODI.
(If you are viewing this on The Hindu app, click this link to view the scorecard in your browser)
Indian cricketers Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul were on Friday suspended pending an inquiry into their outrage-evoking comments on women during a TV show, the Committee of Administrators (CoA) chairman Vinod Rai told PTI.
The cricketers, who have been in the eye of a storm following their sexist remarks on ‘Koffee with Karan’, will be returning from Australia where they were to compete in an ODI series starting on Saturday.
The two had been omitted from the line-up for the opening match in Sydney.
“Both Pandya and Rahul have been suspended pending an inquiry,” Mr. Rai said. suspended pending an inquiry into their outrage-evoking comments on women during a TV show, the Committee of Administrators (CoA) chairman Vinod Rai told PTI.
The cricketers, who have been in the eye of a storm following their sexist remarks on ‘Koffee with Karan’, will be returning from Australia where they were to compete in an ODI series starting on Saturday.
The two had been omitted from the line-up for the opening match in Sydney.
“Both Pandya and Rahul have been suspended pending an inquiry,” Mr. Rai said.
India captain Virat Kohli on Friday said he is not too stressed about the possibility of a ban on all-rounder Hardik Pandya for his “inappropriate” comments on women as the side has a ready replacement in Ravindra Jadeja.
On a high after the maiden Test series triumph on Australian soil, India have been hit by an unsavoury off-field controversy due to Pandya and K L Rahul’s controversial comments on women on a TV show. The two are facing the prospect of being banned for a couple of matches.
India captain Virat Kohli said he is not too stressed about the possibility of a ban on all-rounder Hardik Pandya for his “inappropriate” comments on women as the side has a ready replacement in Ravindra Jadeja.
“We played in India against the West Indies with a finger spinner and a wrist spinner. So it’s good that we have someone like Jadeja who can do the all-rounder’s role if a scenario like that occurs,” Kohli said on the eve of the first ODI against Australia.
Australian skipper Aaron Finch said Indian batting is heavily reliant on its top-three and his team will be looking to exploit that weakness in the three-match ODI series beginning in Sydney on Saturday.
Finch said his side’s target will be to dismiss India’s top-three batsmen — Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli — cheaply.
“Over the last 12 months Virat’s averaged 133, Shikhar 75, and Rohit 50; so there’s a lot of runs and balls faced from their top three. It’s important to get them as early as you can because once they get in, they score fast and they don’t seem to get out too easily,” said Finch on Friday.
