Kohli one demerit point away from getting banned from international cricket

With three demerit points, Kohli needs to keep his on-field aggression in check as India have just started a hectic home season; one more demerit point before January 16 next year will trigger a ban.

Business Standard : India cricket team captain Virat Kohli, who received an official warning and one demerit point for breaching ICC Code of Conduct in India’s third T20 match against South Africa on Sunday, is just one demerit point away from getting banned from international cricket. On Sunday, Kohli had an inappropriate shoulder contact with pacer Beuran Hendricks in the fifth over of the Indian innings while taking a run.

Kohli admitted his offence and accepted the sanctions. Now, his total count of demerit points has reached three in less than two years. "Kohli admitted the offence and accepted the sanction proposed by match referee Richie Richardson of the Emirates ICC Elite Panel of Match Referees, and as such, there was no need for a formal hearing," the ICC said in the statement.

Kohli needs to keep his aggression in check as India have just started a hectic home season. After having levelled the T20I series 1-1 with them, India will now play three Test matches with South Africa cricket team. Later, India will host Bangladesh for three T20Is and two Tests in November, and then go for bilateral series with West Indies, Zimbabwe, Australia and New Zealand.

How Virat Kohli earned three demerits points

Kohli received one demerit point during the Centurion Test against South Africa on January 15, 2018, for his misbehaviour with an on-field umpire. He was hit with a second demerit point during India's fixture against Afghanistan in the recently concluded ICC Cricket World World Cup for excessive appealing.

When a player reaches four or more demerit points within a 24-month period, the player is suspended. It means if Kohli receives another demerit point before January 16 next year – two years from the Centurion Test – he will get a suspension.

How demerit points lead to suspension

Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand, and a maximum penalty of 50 per cent of the player's match fee, besides one or two demerit points.

When a player reaches four or more demerit points within a 24-month period, they are converted into suspension points and a player is banned.

Two suspension points equate a ban from one Test or two ODIs or two T20Is, whatever comes first for the player.

ICC welcome to take global events out of India: BCCI official on tax issue

Another BCCI official added that while the ICC claims to have an inclusive approach, it looks at every possible opportunity to hurt India's interest.

Business Standard : The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) in the recent ICC quarterly meeting was told by the world body to get tax exemption for conducting future global events like the 2021 T20 World Cup and 2023 ODI World Cup. If BCCI fails to get the exemption, it will have to bear the tax liability in hosting the showpiece events. But the move has not gone down well with certain sections within the board.

Speaking to IANS, a senior BCCI official said that the ICC was free to move the tournament out of India if it felt that was the way forward as matters related to tax needed the government's approval and external pressure would not help.

"We will abide by what the Tax Department and the Ministry decides on this. We would love for the World Cup to take place here, but if the ICC wants to play hard ball, they must be ready for everything.

"If they want to take the ICC tournament out of India, it's fine. Let BCCI then take the revenue out of the ICC and see who loses more.

"Those in-charge of administration are trying to take policy decisions without jurisdiction to do so. The ICC will find it difficult to hold the BCCI to those decisions since a lot of these decisions do not have the approval of the board," the official pointed.

Another BCCI official added that while the ICC claims to have an inclusive approach, it looks at every possible opportunity to hurt India's interest.

"It was found earlier that the ICC had a different contract with different member boards. For example, Cricket Australia was only required to make best endeavours to get tax exemption while the BCCI was required to ensure tax exemption.

"See, this is a result of a situation where the present BCCI is found wanting. The CoA bigwig wants to show that he is in control of things and whenever that happens, the democratic functioning of an organisation is the first casualty.

"There is no way that the BCCI should agree to this. The ICC cannot on the one hand say that they aim to have an inclusive approach and on the other hand look at every possible opportunity to hurt India's interest," the official signed off.

ICC World Cup 2019: BCCI can't block Pakistan from competing, says Official

Amid the spiralling speculation, the CoA, comprising Chairman Vinod Rai and former women's captain Diana Edulji, will be meeting in Delhi on Friday.

Business Standard : The Committee of Administrators (CoA) and the BCCI have not prepared any note seeking a ban on Pakistan at the upcoming World Cup and even if such a move is made, the International Cricket Council (ICC) is bound to reject it.

The Pulwama terror attack, that claimed the lives of over 40 CRPF personnel, has escalated the diplomatic tensions between India and Pakistan, the reverberations of which are also being felt in the sporting arena.

Already, Pakistani shooters couldn't make the World Cup in Delhi, starting Saturday, after not getting visas. And there is a demand for India to boycott its June 16 World Cup 2019 clash against the neighbours and the matter is likely to come up on the sidelines of the ICC meetings between February 27 to March 2 in Dubai.

"There is absolutely no constitutional or contractual way this could happen. the ICC constitution allows members the right to participate in ICC events as long as they've qualified," a BCCI official told PTI.

Amid the spiralling speculation, the CoA, comprising Chairman Vinod Rai and former women's captain Diana Edulji, will be meeting in Delhi on Friday to discuss the issue of multiple bodies claiming representation of Uttarakhand. But the Pakistan conundrum is likely to cast a shadow on what was to be a routine meet.

"We will discuss all possible options tomorrow and do what is best for the country," Edulji told PTI.

A top BCCI source said even if a note is sent and the ICC agrees to put it out in front of member boards for a vote, India is unlikely to find any support from other nations.

"In case India writes to ICC for Pakistan's removal, then we have to build consensus first to move a resolution at it's Annual Board Meeting in April. We no longer enjoy majority in the ICC board right now. If this goes for floor Test we are certain to lose," he said.

"Not only that, serious doubts will emerge on our chances to host 2021 Champions Trophy and 2023 World Cup," he added.

The call to boycott Pakistan has been made by some prominent voices such as senior off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and former captain and Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) President Sourav Ganguly.

Among the current players, leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and pacer Mohammed Shami have called for decisive action to deal with terror strikes carried out by Pakistan-based terror groups.