Indian cricketer Gautam Gambhir has hit out at the Cricket Association of Bengal’s decision to invite Mohammed Azharuddin for a ceremonial ringing of the bell to mark the start of India’s first T20I against West Indies in Kolkata on Sunday, 4 November.
The former captain had been called for the ceremony by the CAB – presently helmed by another former captain in Sourav Ganguly – but Gambhir believes Azharuddin’s presence was against the BCCI’s No-Tolerance Policy against corruption.
Addressing both the BCCI and the Committee of Administrators, in addition to CAB, the 2011 World Cup winner expressed his ‘shock’ at the gesture towards the tainted ex-cricketer.
Azharuddin, who played 99 Tests and 334 ODIs for India, was banned for life by the BCCI for his involvement in the match-fixing scandal which rocked Indian cricket in 2000. The ban was subsequently lifted by the Andhra Pradesh High Court in 2012, which termed the punishment ‘unsustainable’.
The now 55-year-old has dabbled with roles around cricket administration in the years since.
The invite extended to Azharuddin comes less than a week after CAB President Sourav Ganguly slammed the administrative flux surrounding Indian cricket administration.
The off-field tensions didn’t prevent India from easing to a 1-0 lead in the three-match series with a 5-wicket win over the Windies.
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