Sudhindra banned for life

T. Sudhindra became the third cricketer from India, after Mohammed Azharuddin and Ajay Sharma in 2000, to suffer a life ban for bringing the game into disrepute. The Madhya Pradesh and Deccan Chargers bowler was handed the punishment by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Saturday after a Disciplinary Committee hearing at the Cricket Centre here. 

Sudhindra was held guilty of receiving money to spot fix a match in domestic cricket and given exemplary penalty. “He has been debarred for life, from playing any cricket matches conducted or authorised by the ICC, BCCI, or any affiliated unit of the Board,” said a media statement from the Board after the hearing.

Former India captain Azharuddin and all-rounder Ajay Sharma were banned for life in 2000 after an internal inquiry by K. Madhavan following the publication of a CBI report, found them guilty of match-fixing. Ajay Jadeja and Manoj Prabhakar were suspended for five years.

Sudhindra was caught on camera by India TV during a sting operation conducted before IPL 2012, agreeing to bowl a no-ball in an Indore league match.

The channel reporters posed as sports management company representatives and the footage was aired by the channel, showing what they claimed was a no-ball bowled by Sudhindra in the match. The BCCI decision bars Sudhindra from holding any position in any BCCI affiliated cricket association for life.

Shalabh Srivastava of Uttar Pradesh faces a five-year ban for agreeing to fix a match and negotiating with the reporters engaged in the sting operation. He was in Kings XI Punjab, but did not play any match in IPL-V.

One-year bans

Three others — Mohnish Mishra, Amit Yadav and Abhinav Bali — have been banned for one year from playing in BCCI or ICC events. Sudhindra, Mishra and Bali were given personal hearings by the Disciplinary Committee (N. Srinivasan, Arun Jaitley and Niranjan Shah) at the Cricket Centre. Srivastava and Yadav were linked up via teleconference.

The report presented before the Board committee by Ravi Sawani, Commissioner of Inquiry, was considered and after hearing out the players, the penalties were decided.

Apart from being debarred from playing in BCCI or ICC competitions for life, Sudhindra will not be entitled to monthly gratis, benevolent fund, benefit match or any other facility, in lieu of, the statement explains.

He was the highest wicket-taker in Ranji Trophy 2011-12 season with 40 wickets, bowling right-arm medium pace for Madhya Pradesh and later drafted into Deccan Chargers.

The five-year ban on Srivastava is for agreeing to bowl a no-ball against payment.

“He was held guilty of agreeing to fix a match and negotiating terms, even though no actual match/spot fixing took place,” the statement explained.

The Uttar Pradesh bowler, a member of the India under-19 World Cup-winning squad led by Mohd. Kaif, will also not be entitled to grants and other post-retirement benefits.

Mishra represented the national junior teams in the under-17 and 19 categories and averages 44.86 in first-class cricket for Madhya Pradesh and played for two IPL sides, Deccan Charges earlier, before being picked up by Sahara Pune Warriors. He was punished for disclosures about black money payment by IPL franchises to players.

Yadav, an all-rounder from Goa and playing for King’s XI Punjab, alleged that one match in IPL-IV was fixed.