Karnataka off-spinner Krishnappa Gowtham, who was barred by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) from playing the Duleep Trophy and India A series due to disciplinary reasons, tendered an unconditional apology on Tuesday, reported PTI. However, the matter will still be referred to BCCI’s disciplinary committee.
Gowtham had played the opening Duleep Trophy game for India Red and bagged five wickets. However, the left for Bengaluru after the match, claiming that he was down with typhoid. However, he was seen playing a T20 match in the Karnataka Premier League (KPL), which did not go down well without BCCI. Gowtham had not taken permission from the BCCI.
Gowtham was show caused by BCCI GM (Game Development) Ratnakar Shetty and was barred from taking further part in the Duleep Trophy and his name was struck off from the India A squad that played two ‘Tests’ against New Zealand A.
While tendering “unconditional apology”, Gowtham gave a bizarre explanation on why he played the KPL game for the Belgavi Panthers. “I thought it was typhoid but it turned out to be viral fever,” Gowtham wrote in his apology letter.
Gowtham felt that “bowling four overs and fielding for 85 minutes” was permissible being blissfully unaware that he is on selectors’ radar having done well in the India A series in South Africa and was supposed to play against New Zealand A.
The BCCI disciplinary committee comprising president CK Khanna, senior politician Jyotiraditya Scindia and Niranjan Shah will now take a call on his future.
When contacted, Khanna told PTI, “Yes, I have received his apology letter. In my view, it has been a huge mistake on Gowtham’s part to have disrespected a tournament of Duleep Trophy’s stature. He has apologized unconditionally. He is a young cricketer and we need to look at his career ahead. While I want him to give a written undertaking, I haven’t yet discussed with Mr Shah and Mr Scindia in this regard.”
However, the selection committee is so peeved, that it will be difficult for the 28-year-old Gowtham to get the nod for the national teams in near future.
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