BCCI CoA suspends Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul for their controversial comments on Koffee with Karan

After a lot of deliberation and speculation, the Committee of Administrators (CoA) chief Vinod Rai has decided to suspend both KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya. Both the cricketers were under the scanner for their controversial comments on women on the talk show Koffee with Karan. Since the episode has been aired, they are at the receiving end from all the sections. Moreover, Team India was also unsure about their participation in the first ODI against Australia in Sydney.

Finally, the duo has been suspended pending inquiry by the CoA now as Vinod Rai confirmed the same according to the Times of India. “Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul suspended pending an inquiry into their controversial comments on women,” he said. The BCCI has convened a six-member committee on the matter to probe into the matter as well and even Diana Edulji had suggested the cricketers to be suspended until then.

Already ruled out of the first ODI

Earlier in the day, Virat Kohli had first distanced the team from the controversy saying that it doesn’t affect their morale by any means. He had also added that the comments were the personal opinions and had nothing to do with the team. Moreover, due to the clarity on Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul’s availability, the visitors also didn’t name their 12-man squad which has become a norm nowadays.

However, only sometime ago, the Men in Blue decided to leave both of them for the series opener against Australia in Sydney with no directive from the BCCI. With suspension pending inquiry, it remains to be seen now if Rahul and Hardik stay with the team or they are sent back home.

Team India is also scheduled to travel to New Zealand after the three-match series down under and will be playing 5 ODIs and three T20Is before returning home in the second week of February.

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