Sir Viv Richards unhappy with timing of Sunil Narine's ban

Sunil Narine was banned for a suspect bowling action during the recent CLT20

With an important One Day International (ODI) series against India currently underway and the ICC Cricket World Cup scheduled to start in February next year, West Indies cricketing great and current chairman of selectors Clive Lloyd had lashed out at the Champions League Twenty20‘s (CLT20) decision to ban Sunil Narine for a suspect bowling action. And now Sir Viv Richards, another great of West Indies cricket, has backed up his former colleague by questioning the timing of Narine’s suspension.

Although Narine can continue playing international cricket, as his ban is restricted to BCCI-organized tournaments, the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), prudently, decided to withdraw him from the squad for the ongoing series in India so that he could work on correcting his action, with the off-spinner in serious risk of being reported if he continues to play international cricket under the current circumstances.

"In my opinion such action should have been taken some time ago and on a wider basis because these guys have been there for quite some time," Richards, who is working with the West Indies A team as their technical director, told ESPNCricinfo in Colombo.

"I am not sure because West Indies are touring India, there is going to be a World Cup next year, whether all this has something to do with it, I just believe the timing has to be good. With the next World Cup around the corner this is not the correct time to take such measures," said Richards.

In recent months, the ICC has been severe when it comes to crackdown on illegal bowling actions. Apart from Narine and Mohammad Hafeez, who have been banned in the CLT20, Pakistan’s Saeed Ajmal, Sri Lanka’s Sachithra Senanayake, Zimbabwe’s Prosper Utseya, Bangladesh’s Sohag Gazi and New Zealand’s Kane Williamson have all been found guilty of dodgy actions and are currently banned from bowling in international cricket.