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Cricket PlayersFurious Shastri reacts to Chahal's 2013 balcony episode: 'Life ban for that person involved. Send him to a rehab centre'
Chahal had revealed that he fainted after a "drunk" player, whom he did not name, dangled him from the balcony on the 15th floor of a hotel where there was a get-together of IPL players in 2013
Senior India bowler Yuzvendra Chahal recent revelation of a physical harassment by a professional cricketer during the 2013 season of the Indian Premier League created quite a stir in the cricket fraternity. After India legend Virender Sehwag urged Chahal to reveal the name of the player before condemning the act, on Saturday, former India head coach Ravi Shastri called for a life ban on the player.
Chahal, who now plays for Rajasthan Royals in IPL 2022, revealed the incident on Thursday saying that he had fainted after a "drunk" player, whom he did not name, dangled him from the balcony on the 15th floor of a hotel where there was a get-together of IPL players after Mumbai Indians' match in Bengaluru.
Shastri, who coached the Indian team from mid-2017 until last year's T20 World Cup, said the incident was "not acceptable".
"No laughing matter at all. I do not know who the person involved is, he was not in a conscious state of mind. If that is the case, then it is a big worry. Someone's life is at risk, some people might think it is funny but for me, it is not funny at all. It shows the person who is trying to do it is in a state which is not appropriate. When you are in such a state trying something like that, the chances of mistakes are even more. It is not acceptable at all," Shastri said on ESPNcricinfo's 'T20 Time Out'.
"It is the first time I am hearing such a drastic thing like this. It is not funny at all. If such an incident happens today, a life ban for that person involved and send that person to a rehab centre as quickly as possible. Life ban, better not come near to a cricket field then he will realise how funny is it or not funny," he stated further.
The former India all-rounder further added that players should report such incidents immediately.
"You do not want an unfortunate incident for you to wake up, if something like that happens, you have to step up and tell the people concerned. Just like you are told by the Anti-Corruption Unit when there is an approach made by someone or the other when it comes to fixing, it is your job to approach the authorities to let them know," said Shastri.
Both IPL and the Mumbai Indians are yet to speak on the matter.
"We had a match in Bengaluru and there was a get-together after that," Chahal had told Rajasthan Royals teammate R Ashwin win a video shared by the franchise. "So there was a player who was very drunk - and I won't take his name - he just called me aside, and he took me outside and he hung me out from the balcony.
"I was holding on to him, with my arms around his neck. If I had lost my grip, we were on the 15th floor ... suddenly many people who were there came and handled the situation. I kind of fainted, and they gave me water.
"So that was one incident where I made a narrow escape. Had there been a small mistake there, I would have fallen down."
