Vinod Rai Sheds Light On Koffee With Karan Controversy Involving KL Rahul-Hardik Pandya

Former COA Vinod Rai in his newly launched book ‘Not Just a Nightwatchman – My Innings in the BCCI’ has revealed details about several controversial chapters that rocked Indian cricket in the recent past. One such incident was when KL Rahul and Hardik Pandya got into a big controversy for the various illicit comments they made on the show Koffee with Karan.

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Koffee with Karan is a show hosted by eminent Bollywood director Karan Johar. KL Rahul and Hardik Pant in one of the episodes back in 2019 made some illicit and vulgar comments on the show. This made the BCCI and the highest officials ban them from a few games in 2019. They were with the Indian team in Australia when these charges were labelled against them and the dup had to return back to India.

The players were asked to submit showcause notices issuing a public apology. Former Indian cricketer Diana Edulgi who was a member of the COA back then asked Rai to hand them a suspension for a few matches and confiscate their match salaries as a method of teaching them a lesson. In his book, Vinod Rai wrote about how this entire incident panned out and what was the resolution to it.

“On 10 January, I proposed a two-match suspension and sought Diana’s opinion… She forwarded my email to the three office-bearers… All the three-office bearers suggested ‘strict action’ as per BCCI rules.

“Thus, following the BCCI rules, on 11 January, the two players were placed under suspension. Both the players were in Australia with the team and had to be called back. Diana had made it clear that they should be kept under suspension till further course of action was decided for this misconduct,” Rai wrote.

He further said that both the players were still inexperienced back then and not being used to so much of the limelight might have got the better of the players.

KL Rahul, Hardik Pandya Got Carried Away On The Show: Vinod Rai

“Not being so media savvy, they seemed to have got carried away and indulged in ‘boy’s dressing room talk’ without being conscious that they were on national television. We all acknowledge that their remarks were reprehensible,” Rai further wrote on the duo.

Currently, both the players are playing in the IPL 2022. While KL Rahul is leading the Lucknow Super Giants, Hardik is in charge of the Gujarat Titans.

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