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Cricket PlayersK Gowtham issues unconditional apology to BCCI over ‘illness’ controversy
K Gowtham, who left the Duleep Trophy match after claiming he was unwell, played the Karnataka Premier League without taking permission from the BCCI and has issued an unconditional apology. However, the Indian cricket Board has referred the matter to the disciplinary committee.
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Karnataka off-spinner K Gowtham, who was barred by the BCCI from playing Duleep Trophy and India A series due to disciplinary reasons, has tendered an unconditional apology but the matter is still being referred to the disciplinary committee.
Gowtham had played the opening Duleep Trophy game for India Red and got five wickets but left for Bengaluru after the match, claiming that he was down with typhoid. However, he chose to play a Twenty20 match in the Karnataka Premier League (KPL) match without taking permission from the BCCI.
Gowtham was issued a show cause notice by BCCI General Manager, Game Development, Ratnakar Shetty and was barred from taking further part in the Duleep Trophy and his name was struck off from the India A squad that played two ‘Tests’ against New Zealand A.
While tendering “unconditional apology”, Gowtham gave a weird explanation as to why he played KPL game on September 12 for the Belgavi Panthers.
“I thought it was typhoid but it turned out to be viral fever,” Gowtham wrote in his apology letter. Gowtham felt that “bowling four overs and fielding for 85 minutes” was permissible being blissfully unaware that he is on selectors’ radar having done well in the India A series in South Africa and was supposed to play against New Zealand A.
The BCCI disciplinary committee comprising President CK Khanna, senior politician Jyotiraditya Scindia and Niranjan Shah will now take a call on his future.
When contacted, Khanna told PTI, “Yes, I have received his apology letter. In my view, it has been a huge mistake on Gowtham’s part to have disrespected a tournament of Duleep Trophy’s stature. He has apologised unconditionally. He is a young cricketer and we need to look at his career ahead. While I want him to give a written undertaking, I haven’t yet discussed with Mr Shah and Mr Scindia in this regard.”
It is learnt that the selection committee is so peeved that it will be difficult for the 28-year-old Gowtham to get the nod for the national teams in near future.
