The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has officially lifted the life ban on former Mumbai spinner Ankeet Chavan, clearing him to play professional cricket again on Wednesday (June 15).
35-year-old Chavan along with his then Rajasthan Royals (RR) teammate Sreesanth and Ajit Chandila, was suspended for life for their alleged involvement in the IPL spot-fixing scandal in 2013.
Last year, the BCCI's Ombudsman Justice (Retd) DK Jain had reduced the quantum of sentence for both Sreesanth and Chavan to seven years from the life ban imposed by the Indian cricket board.
Sreesanth's ban was lifted by the BCCI last year and even he played domestic cricket for Kerala this season, but the Mumbai left-arm spinner had to wait till now to be cleared from the spot-fixing ban.
In September 2020, Chavan had moved the Bombay High Court against the BCCI's ban, and later, the court referred the matter to the BCCI Ombudsman on March 3, 2021, and now finally, the BCCI has accepted the spinner’s plea to make him eligible to play professional cricket again since Board Ombudsman DK Jain has reduced his life ban to seven years.
Earlier this month, Chavan had also requested the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) to write to the BCCI to give him the clearance letter, as Sreesanth had received the order even before his ban ended in September 2020, but the Mumbai cricketer had to wait till May 3 to get the copy from the BCCI.
In a communication to the 35-year-old player on Tuesday (June 15), BCCI's acting CEO Hemang Amin informed Chavan that his life ban has been reduced to seven years as per the court and BCCI ethics officer's directive and the sentence ended last September itself along with Sreesanth.
According to Times of India, Mr. Amin wrote in the communication mail: “Dear Mr. Chavan, as per the directions of the Hon'ble Bombay High Court, your representation for modification of the BCCI order, imposing a life ban on you was placed before the Ld. Ombudsman of BCCI.”
The letter further reads: “The Ld. Ombudsman, has restricted the ban imposed on you from life ban to 7 years, with effect from 13 September 2013. In view of the order dated 3 May 2021, the ban imposed on you, therefore, ended on 13 September 2020.”
Sources within the MCA confirmed to ANI: "Yes, the BCCI has ended Chavan's ban and he will now be able to play professional cricket."
Meanwhile, after getting the go-ahead to resume cricket by the BCCI on Tuesday, the left-arm spinner can't wait to hit the ground and resume playing cricket.
Chavan told Times of India, “Now that I've received a formal communication from the BCCI in this regard, I'm really looking forward to resuming playing cricket once the pandemic subsides and the government eases out rules. I want to get on the cricket ground as soon as possible. I'm absolutely relieved. Everyone in my family is breathing a sigh of relief. This chapter has finally come to an end. I just have to start with my club and corporate cricket.”
The cricketer added, “I'm thankful for the BCCI and the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) for having backed me, and I hope to receive their backing in the future too. I will now have to tell the MCA that my ban has been reduced and I can be considered for the forthcoming season.”
Chavan is 35 now, but still has the confidence to break it into the Mumbai squad. He signed off by saying, “I'm really hoping I can play for Mumbai again. See, I'm a spin-bowling all-rounder. I can play cricket for another five-seven years in Mumbai. I'm keeping myself fit. I'm looking forward to the forthcoming season. I'm hopeful that depending upon my performance, the MCA can consider me in the probables.”
(With TOI Inputs)
