After Pandya-Rahul ruckus, BCCI brings back focus on Harmanpreet Kaur fake degree case

It’s boxing season in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) these days. Months after an ugly tussle between veteran India batswoman Mithali Raj and former coach of the national women’s team Ramesh Powar and days after a controversy involving men cricketers Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul, the board officials have brought the focus back on another controversy involving another woman cricketer, apparently to score a point over an internal opponent.

The women’s team vice-captain in the ODIs and captain in the T20Is, Harmanpreet Kaur has been questioned by the BCCI officials over a fake degree issue which had made the headlines last year. The dashing batswoman even lost her job as the DSP of Punjab Police in March last year after her degree was found to be fake. The report has been published by the Times of India.

Kaur herself came under serious criticism in the Mithali Raj issue after the latter was omitted in the crucial semi-final tie against England in the Women’s World T20 in the Windies in November. India lost the match as their batswomen failed to deliver and the decision to drop an experienced Mithali faced a severe backlash. Kaur though kept defending the decision. She and vice-captain Smriti Mandhana backed Powar in the issue and wrote to BCCI saying that despite Mithali accusing of trying to destroy her career.

If Pandya, Rahul can be suspended, why not Harmanpreet?

“If Pandya and Rahul have to serve a suspension pending inquiry, then what about Harmanpreet Kaur? She’s the captain of the Indian team at a time when she’s busy being investigated for possessing a fake graduation degree. Someone wants to conveniently protect her but ban these two cricketers for a year for what? For posterity?” BCCI officials were quoted as saying by TOI.

They also asked if Kaur could lead the Indian T20 team despite the probe, why couldn’t the BCCI take a call on whether Pandya and Rahul can play the World cup, which is just a few months away from now, or not.

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