Indian news round up

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) will decide on the participation of the Indian team in the proposed three-match limited over series in Australia, during its working committee meeting on August 10.

The BCCI executive secretary, Sharad Diwadkar told PTI in Mumbai on Thursday that the venue for the working committee meeting would be decided only after BCCI secretary Jaywant Lele returns from his holiday abroad either on July 23 or 24. "The main agenda would be to try and fit the three one-dayers in the schedule if possible," he added. The first two matches are to be played indoors at the Colonial Stadium in Melbourne on September 21 and 23 and the last in Brisbane's Gabba on September 26.

Though there were reports a couple of days ago that the series was off following a clash of dates with India's proposed Asian Test Championship ties, the BCCI seems to be keen to fit the series in the Indian team's already busy schedule.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India on Thursday told the Delhi High Court that cricketer Ajay Jadeja, banned for five years on matchfixing charges, cannot claim any relief for violation of fundamental rights as the Board has power to take action against a player for "misconduct" even on suspicion.

"If the BCCI finds that the condcut of a player is not good, then he cannot be considered for selection in the team though he might be an icon. The Board can suspend a player if there is suspicion of misconduct against him even if there is no hard evidence," BCCI counsel Kapil Sibal told Justice Mukul Mudgal, while hearing Jadeja's petition, challenging the ban.

Asserting that the Board was not performing any of the functions of the state, Sibal said the team selected by BCCI to play matches with foreign teams, "does not represent India as a state but is a BCCI team representing India." Since the Board was not performing any of the state's functions, Jadeja could not claim any relief under Article 226 of the Constitution, Sibal said, adding his petition was liable to be dismissed. "He cannot even claim any damage through civil suit as the BCCI has no contract with him at present," he said.

The contract with a player is always signed by the Board after he is selected in a team for a particular season either to play Test matches or one-dayers in the country or abroad, Sibal said adding that the BCCI rules were clear on this.

A civil court in Hyderabad on Thursday adjourned till July 19 the hearing of the case filed by former Indian captain Mohammad Azharuddin challenging the life ban imposed on him by the Indian Cricket Board.

The second additional chief justice J Shyamsundar Rao, after hearing the plea of Azharuddin's counsel T Jagdish, who sought more time since his client was not present in the city, posted the next date of hearing to July 19. Earlier, Jagdish, who prayed for obtaining the inquiry report of BCCI inquiry commisioner K Madhavan into the matchfixing scandal, was asked by the judge to file an application in this regard.

According to A Venkatesh, who appeared on behalf of BCCI, the inquiry report was already submitted to the court on June 25. Jagdish, who was directed by the judge to forward an application to this effect, readily agreed to do so.