India's cricket team captain Virat Kohli poses with the ICC Cricket World Cup trophy at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney on January 11, 2019. AFP / Saeed Khan
SYDNEY: Indian cricketers KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya have been suspended pending an inquiry into comments they made about women on a television show this week, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) said on Friday.
Batsman Rahul and all-rounder Pandya have been heavily criticised in India and on social media for remarks that have been widely condemned as sexist and inappropriate.
The length of their suspensions is not known, but the duo look set to miss the one-day international series in Australia starting on Saturday and a limited-overs tour of New Zealand.
The Committee of Administrators (CoA) asked the pair to explain the comments and Pandya apologised but after considering their reply, the BCCI decided to charged both players for misconduct and indiscipline.
"The duo is now called upon to provide an explanation as to why they should not be proceeded against for misconduct and indiscipline under Rule 41 of the BCCI Constitution within a period of 7 (seven) days," the BCCI said in a statement.
Ahead of the first one-dayer against Australia on Saturday, India captain Virat Kohli said the comments made by the Rahul and Pandya are not supported by their team mates.
"From the Indian cricket team point of view, any inappropriate comments that are made in that scenario are something that we definitely don't support," Kohli told reporters.
"The two concerned players felt what has gone wrong and they have understood the magnitude. It has to hit anyone hard, they will definitely understand the things that have not gone right.
"These are purely individual opinions ... we definitely, as the Indian cricket team, do not support views like that and that has been communicated."
Kohli's side sealed their first test series victory in Australia this week when the fourth match ended in a draw.
"Definitely not going to dampen anything that we've achieved," he said.
"You have to adjust with the situation. We need to go out there and play cricket. All these external factors are not going to derail our motivation or the preparation for the World Cup."
