BCCI objects to Vidarbha players talking to Mohammed Azharuddin during Ranji Trophy match

Mohammed Azharuddin at the match in question (bottom right), Subramaniam Badrinath (top right)

Mohammed Azharuddin’s presence on the sidelines of the Ranji Trophy match between Delhi and Vidarbha last week has not been taken well by the BCCI, and India’s governing cricket body has sent a letter of objection to the Delhi cricket administration for flouting anti-corruption norms, as reported by PTI.

Former India captain Azharuddin is still serving a life ban imposed on him by the BCCI in 2000 for his part in the match-fixing scandal that had engulfed Indian cricket then.

Azhar was at the Kotla Stadium during the Ranji match at the invitation of DDCA vice-president Chetan Chauhan, and was seen talking to Vidarbha batsmen Subramaniam Badrinath and Wasim Jaffer near the boundary line, along with coach Paras Mhambrey, an incident which flouts ICC’s Anti Corruption Unit code.

Jaffer and Badrinath, both veterans of Indian domestic cricket and former national team players, are said to have listened to anecdotes from Azhar’s playing days, and discussed issues of cricket technique. Shalabh Srivastava, an young cricketer, is also said to have been present.

Delhi assistant coach Amit Bhandari is also said to have come and hugged Azharuddin.

Should be more careful about Azhar’s interaction with players: Chauhan

The DDCA admitted to receiving the communication from the BCCI, but termed it as a misunderstanding. Chetan Chauhan, on whose invitation Azhar was there, said, "The BCCI has written to us as to how Vidarbha players spoke to Azharuddin in the Players and Match Officials Area (PMOA) area. Now the area which they are including in PMOA is where the selectors (Vinay Lamba and Hari Gidwani) and DDCA officials were sitting. Azhar was sitting right there. Now that is a bit confusing.

“But if they are saying that players shouldn't have spoken to Azhar, we should be more careful," Chauhan said.

It has been learnt that ACU officials brought this to the notice of match referee Rajendra Jadeja as they were speaking to him when the match was on. The match referee summoned the concerned players, team officials, and managers of the two teams and reminded them a breach of protocol had been committed.

The concerned anti-corruption rule stipulates, “From the time of arrival until the end of the match, players and officials are not allowed to leave the PMOA without the prior permission of the ACU official in charge”.

Meanwhile, Haryana captain Virender Sehwag is gearing up to take on his former Delhi teammates in their encounter which starts from Thursday.