Veteran Indian opener Gautam Gambhir was lucky to escape a suspended four-match ban from first-class cricket on Saturday after an enquiry committee constituted by Delhi and Districts Cricket Association administrator Justice Vikramjit Sen decided to suspend the punishment.
Apparently Gautam Gambhir was handed a 4 match ban earlier in the day for his ugly confrontation with Delhi Ranji coach KP Bhaskar earlier this year. An enquiry committee headed by Justice Vikramjit Sen and comprising chairman Madan Lal, Rajendra R Rathore and advocate Soni Singh found Gambhir guilty and termed the batsman’s behaviour as “serious” and “inappropriate”.
But the stylish left hander received a big relief towards the end of the day when Justice Sen decided to “suspend the punishment for a period of two years ending on 30th March 2019” on the condition that Gambhir would accept the offer and won’t repeat such an inappropriate act in future.
“Having learnt of an incident, which occurred when the team from DDCA was in Orissa, in which an altercation between Gautam Gambhir and Bhasker Pillai had transpired, and pursuant to a complaint received from Pillai, I met both persons on 10th March 2017. The matter could not be amicably and satisfactorily resolved. The Committee Members agree that considering the above facts and circumstances that have come to light, Mr Gambhir’s actions towards Mr Pillai with premeditated intent to humiliate the coach were highly inappropriate and of serious nature. It is recommended that such inappropriate behaviour requires to be penalised not only in a proportionate manner, but in a manner that has a deterrent effect so that it is not repeated and such issues are taken seriously by all team members”, Mr Sen said in a statement.
He further added, “The Committee members feel the necessity of deterrent effect of penalties on account of such seriously inappropriate behaviour to inculcate discipline within the team and in the interest of the game of cricket. Having such considerations and findings as above in mind, the Committee Members recommend that Mr Gautam Gambhir should not be allowed to play in 4 (four) First Class matches of the Delhi team at the start of the next season, i.e. 2017-18 on account of his deliberate and pre-meditated inappropriate behaviour.”
Earlier the committee came hard on Gambhir and reprimanded him for his unruly and inappropriate attitude towards the coach. In a joint statement they said,
“It is evident from the above that the actions/conduct of Mr Gambhir on 6th March 2017 against the coach and the confrontation were pre-meditated as he called for the meeting after the match at lunchtime on a day when he was not even playing the match and he had remained in the hotel, since about lunchtime. It is further evident that Mr Gambhir intended to use some very sharp/inappropriate language and admittedly the arguments between the coach and Mr Gambhir were expected to be so ‘heated’ that he thought it prudent to save some of the younger players from witnessing it and therefore sent them outside the dressing room before starting the confrontation.”
