Bhajji issued showcause notice for allegedly slapping Sreesanth

The BCCI on Saturday has issued a showcause notice to Mumbai Indians stand-in skipper Harbhajan Singh for allegedly slapping his IPL rival and Indian team mate, S Sreesanth.

The BCCI on Saturday has issued a showcause notice to Mumbai Indians stand-in skipper Harbhajan Singh for allegedly slapping his IPL rival and Indian team mate, S Sreesanth. Singh has been asked to reply by April 28. Match Referee Farookh Engineer has been assigned to look into the matter. Charges if proved, can ban Bhajji from competitive cricket. Sreesanth’s team, Kings XI Punjab have lodged an official complaint with the BCCI, demanding action against the offie. In a complaint sent to the BCCI, the Punjab team members have expressed their disappointment over the matter.
 
Meanwhile, the International Cricket Council (ICC) has refused to intervene in the matter, stating that it is BCCI’s internal issue and the Indian board will have to deal with it according to its own discretion.

The board served a show cause notice on Harbhajan asking him why a disciplinary action should not be taken against him for his conduct in Mohali. BCCI`s secretary Ratnakar Shetty said that any form of physical contact in cricket is undesirable.

"At this point of time, we have issued a show cause notice. Harbhajan is a contracted player of BCCI. The BCCI itself has a code of conduct for players. And BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah has issued a show cause notice and he has to respond by Monday," Shetty said.

Shetty did not want to speculate on what punishment the BCCI could take against the off-spinner."I can`t say anything at this point of time about what action will be taken against him. And I don`t think we need to speculate on that. We will follow a proper procedure," he said.

After getting Harbhajan`s explanation, the disciplinary committee will consider what action needs to be taken in accordance with the rules, he said. The IPL`s governing body has also barred the players and the officials from speaking on the Bhajji-Sree row to the media. Lalit Modi, the commisioner of the IPL has ordered a probe. "We will probe the incident", Modi said. Upset over the row. Modi said that it was a "serious matter" and was not good for the cash-rich Twenty20 tournament.

"It looks like a serious matter the way it is being shown on television channels but I can`t say anything now. In any tournament it should not happen, it`s unfortunate what happened yesterday," Modi told reporters. But Modi said the IPL committee would wait for an official report on the matter before deciding about their next action in the issue.

Modi, however, said the IPL committee could take any decision only after receiving an official report on the matter as picture was still not clear about what exactly happened between the two players last night.

"The incident in itself is sketchy. There is no clear evidence at this moment; there are different versions about what may have happened. But at the end of the day we have to take cognizance of the fact that happened on the field.”

"(So) we are waiting for the match referee and umpire`s report only after which our committee will take a decision. The tournament is being played under the ICC guidelines, besides there are also tournament guidelines for the players," he said.

"Until the match referee informs us we will be handicapped. There is no question of taking a suo-moto action," Modi added.

The Kings XI team, led by Yuvraj Singh, is reportedly planning to lodge a complaint against the off-spinner, who later apologised to the paceman in the dressing room of the Punjab team.

Meanwhile, Sreesanth said that he just wants to let bygones be bygones and that he has moved on. He seemed keen on underplaying the unpleasant exchange with his Indian teammate. "I won`t really call it a slap, more like the handshake was in the wrong place. I told him, I`m OK with it, I`m fine with it. Maybe, next time I meet him in Mumbai, I`ll give it back on the field," said Sreesanth, member, Kings XI Punjab. He also ruled out making an official complain against Bhajji, saying the Harbhajan Singh was like an elder brother.

Upset over the row between Mumbai Indians stand-in captain Harbhajan Singh and Kings XI Punjab paceman S Sreesanth, Indian Premier League Chairman Lalit Modi on Saturday said it was a "serious matter" and was not good for the cash-rich Twenty20 tournament.

This is the second time in the last six months that Harbhajan has been at the epicentre of a major controversy. In January this year, ‘Turbanator’ was accused of racially abusing Andrew Symonds by the Australians during the infamous Sydney, inviting the wrath of the Australian team as well as the public throughout India’s tour Down Under.

On-field relations between Harbhajan and Sreesanth appeared strained during the India-South Africa Test series as well. Sreesanth had dropped Hashim Amla off Harbhajan during the Chennai Test to which Harbhajan reacted with displeasure after which he was seen motioning towards Sreesanth after making a diving save at point.

Meanwhile, the IPL`s governing body has barred the players and the officials on speaking on the Bhajji-Sree row to the media. Lalit Modi, the commisioner of the IPL said, "We will probe the incident".

Mumbai Indians captain Sachin Tendulkar, who is yet to play an IPL match because of a groin injury, refused to talk about the issue. "I don`t want to talk about it," the Maestro said.

Indian Premier League governing council member IS Bindra said the code of conduct laid by the International Cricket Council would be applicable on Mumbai Indians stand-in captain Harbhajan Singh, who has allegedly slapped paceman Sreesanth of Kings XI Punjab.

"As (IPL chairman Lalit) Modi said the process has been put in place. (but) it is unfortunate and an ICC code of conduct will be applicable," Bindra said.

Bindra, however, said he was not in a state to comment on the issue until an inquiry found out what exactly happened between the two players last night after which Sreesanth was seen bitterly crying on the ground.

"You were all there but I can say that only inquiry will find out what exactly happened. For anyone to comment at this stage is not right.

"The code of conduct has certain procedures which will be gone through. Once the process is completed, the action will follow," he said.

"At this moment, the process is sacrosanct which will be followed," he added.

Asked if there would be any time-limit to resolve the issue, the former BCCI president said,"It is a semi-judicial process, you cannot say when it will finish. The process has to run its course, we can`t lay down time limit".

On the possibility of banning Harbhajan, who has developed a knack for courting controversies, Bindra said, "If that is the recommendation, IPL governing council will take decision according to the findings".

Bindra advised the players to strictly follow the `Spirit of Cricket`.

"My views are clear that the game must be played in the spirit of game.

IPL has specially adopted `Spirit of Cricket’, everyone has to follow the spirit which is more important than the law itself," he said.

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