Cricket News: Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul suspended pending inquiry

Hardik Pandya and K L Rahul have been suspended pending an inquiry into their outrage-evoking comments on women during a TV show, the Committee of Administrators (CoA) chairman Vinod Rai confirmed on Friday. The decision comes after Rai's CoA colleague Diana Edulji on Friday recommended suspension till further action against the two after the BCCI legal team refused to declare their comments a violation of the code of conduct. Edulji had initially suggested a two-match suspension for the duo but referred the matter to the legal cell after Vinod Rai agreed with her and recommended the same. In response to that, the legal team had recommended a process which gives the option of suspension of the players pending enquiry that can be completed within a period of 6 months. The legal team had also asked for an immediate appointment of an Ombudsman since the board doesn’t have one at present. However, amid all this another stir has started to make ground. In an interview with a leading daily a senior BCCI official has brought up the issue as to why the top officials in the Indian governing body were not notified of the proceedings being carried out against Pandya. The official also raised some serious question about the appointment of an Ombudsman.