Sport

Gambhir’s appeal rejected; Vijay in squad

Nagpur: Justice Albie Sachs, appointed the Appeals Commissioner by the ICC to hear Gautam Gambhir’s appeal over his one-Test ban, has upheld the penalty imposed by match referee Chris Broad.

Gambhir — who elbowed Shane Watson during the course of a double-century in the third Test, leading to the charge being laid — will miss the crucial fourth Test beginning here on Thursday.

The BCCI has refused to accept the decision, and has sent its objection to the ICC. “The said order has been passed without affording the player an opportunity of personal hearing, legal representation and without acceding to his request for certain documents/recordings to be given to him and also denying him an extension of time,” the board said in a release.

“The Board has refused to accept the decision of the Ld. Appeals Commissioner and has sent its objection to the same to ICC.”

In a letter to the ICC president, the board has questioned the ICC urgency’s in deciding the appeal. “There was no urgency in deciding the appeal and if time was granted to Mr. Gautam Gambhir, the order of the Adjudicator would have been maintained and the one-Test ban retained, which could have been implemented at a later point in time.”

The ICC has said however that the decision is final and binding. Twenty-four-year-old Tamil Nadu opener M. Vijay, who made 243 against Maharashtra in a Ranji Trophy match still in progress, has been included in the national squad and asked to report here in Nagpur.

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