5 Kerala cricketers suspended and 8 fined for wrongful rebellion against team captain
What's the story
In an anticlimactic situation in Kerala Cricket, five players have been suspended and eight others fined, as the final verdict of the case for dissent against team skipper Sachin Baby came out earlier today.
In case you didn't know...
Earlier in July, reports had surfaced of 13 Kerala players submitting a letter to the Kerala Cricket Association (KCA), demanding the impeachment of Sachin Baby as captain of the side.
The letter bore the names and signatures of the thirteen cricketers and just the names of Vishnu Vinod and P Rahul. The letter openly accused Baby of disrupting the team's morale, creating an atmosphere where the others often felt "disturbed and lost". It also said that the captain used to credit himself alone for the wins but come out harsh against the rest of the squad during a loss.
The KCA responded back then, saying that it was important for the coach to be aware of the situation as well, thereby taking time off to consult Dav Whatmore, the Kerala coach. It was then announced that a decision would be made soon.
The details
In a statement issued by Mr. Sreejith V Nair who is the secretary of the KCA, it has been explained that the defaulted players had involved themselves in an issue that threatened to "endanger the harmony, stability, and interest of the association", as it was made evident after conducting individual hearings with every player involved in the situation.
He further added: "There was a deliberate intention to defame the captain as well as KCA. Hence, it was unanimously decided to impose a suspension on five and fines upon eight others for their misconduct."
Raiphi Vincent Gomez, Sandeep S Warrier, Rohan Prem, Asif K and Mohammed Azharuddeen are the five players who have been suspended from the next three one-day matches that they should have played on behalf of the state.
They will also have to pay a fine to the tune of a sum equivalent to match fees from three BCCI-level ODI matches.
Sanju Samson is one among the eight players fined for the misconduct, the others being Abhishek Mohan, Akshay KC, Fabid Farook Ahmed, Nidheesh MD, Salman Nizar, Sijomon Joseph and VA Jagadeesh. Each of them will pay a sum equivalent to three BCCI-level ODIs' match fees.
What's next
The players have been instructed to remit the penalty amounts to the Kerala Chief Minister's Distress Relief Fund on or before September 15 and to submit a proof of remittance. The board has also warned the players that any repetition of similar offences by them will result in severe action.