India Name Replacement For Hardik Pandya And KL Rahul

The BCCI have announced the replacements for Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul for the ongoing ODI series in Australia and the upcoming limited-overs tour of New Zealand. Both Pandya and Rahul have been suspended pending an inquiry for their obscene remarks on talk show Koffee with Karan. The comments from the duo have been condemned as sexist across social media. And the BCCI, on their part, did not show any leniency towards the cricketers.

The BCCI issued a show-cause notice to both the players while asking them to return home from Australia.

“You are aware that the enquiry and proceedings against you for misconduct and indiscipline have been initiated under Rule 41 of the BCCI Constitution and the same are presently pending,”  the show-cause notice from the BCCI read.

“In terms of Rule 41(6) of the BCCI Constitution, you are hereby suspended with immediate effect from participating in any matter whatsoever in any match or function or event or activity that is authorized, organized, sanctioned, recognized or supported in any way by the BCCI, the ICC or any State Association, until final adjudication of the matter,” it added.

The BCCI have now named Vijay Shankar and uncapped Shubman Gill as the duo’s replacement.  While Gill will join the squad only for the New Zealand tour that comprises of five ODIs and three T20Is, Vijay will be joining the team ahead of the second ODI of the ongoing series against Australia.

New Zealand hold happy memories for Gill. Just a year ago, the 19-year old was the Player of the Tournament as India won the ICC Under-19 World Cup. Since then he has gone from strength.  Gill had a stunning Ranji Trophy season for Punjab. The right-handed batsman scored 790 runs in ten innings at an average of 98.75, including two hundreds and five half-centuries. Prior to the Ranji campaign, Gill was also part of the India A squad that toured New Zealand.

Vijay on the other hand, has already represented India five times in the T20 format when he was picked to play in the Nidahas Trophy.  He recently impressed for India A during the tour of New Zealand. The Tamil Nadu man played the role of the finisher successfully, scoring 188 runs at an average of 94 in the three matches.