BCCI's West Zone curator Mhamunkar may face questions for not objecting to pitch access
On field umpires Rod Tucker (left) and C Shamshuddin with reserve umpire Nitin Menon (right) inspect the Pune pitch on Wednesday. Pic/AFP
BCCI's West Zone curator Mhamunkar may face questions for not objecting to pitch access
Curator Pandurang Salgaoncar landed in trouble after a TV sting showed him taking non-accredited reporters to the pitch ahead of the second ODI between India and New Zealand that took place at Pune's Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium on Wednesday.
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On field umpires, Rod Tucker (left) and C Shamshuddin with reserve umpire Nitin Menon (right) inspect the Pune pitch on Wednesday. Pic/AFP
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) immediately suspended Salgaoncar before the match and the International Cricket Council has already initiated a probe. However, it is not just Salgaoncar, who will face some direct questions. It is learnt that BCCI-appointed West Zone curator Ramesh Mhamunkar will also come into focus now since he was around when Salgaoncar took the reporters to the pitch. The BCCI appointed Mhamunkar as the pitch in-charge to ensure the smooth conduct of the match after Salgaoncar was sacked hours before the game.
Also Read: Is Pune curator's pitch tampering really the 'controversy of the season'?
What was Ramesh doing?
In the TV sting, Salgaoncar also mentioned Mhamunkar's presence to the undercover reporters. Mhamunkar did not object when Salgaoncar gave access to the unauthorised reporters onto the pitch. "Mhamunkar should have objected and stopped Salgaoncar from showing them the pitch. The BCCI curator appointed from the zone has to not only observe the pitch preparation, he also has to ensure no one else gets pitch access except authorized persons. Clearly, in this case, the guidelines have not been followed," a source told mid-day yesterday.
Also Read: IND vs NZ pitch controversy: CoA chief Vinod Rai defends ACU
Pandurang Salgaoncar and Ramesh Mhamunkar
"All BCCI curators are aware that no one gets pitch access apart from curators and ground staff. Mhamunkar should have been vigilant and stopped Salgaoncar from giving the access," said another source. Mhamunkar did not respond to calls and a text message to him yesterday. Meanwhile, Maharashtra Cricket Association president Abhay Apte played with a straight bat. "I don't want to comment on any particular person.
Apte: It's a major issue
"This is a major issue and everyone involved in this will be investigated," Apte told mid-day. He said that an urgent MCA meeting was called yesterday and his decision to suspend Salgaoncar was unanimously accepted by his committee. "The decision to suspend the curator was taken within seconds by me as the match was to begin. There was no meeting called to take that decision. So, today (Thursday) we called for an urgent meeting to take the decision and everyone were unanimous," said Apte. It is learnt that it will take at least a month for the ICC probe to conclude.
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