BCCI issues showcause notice to Pandya, Rahul for misogynistic comments
What's the story
The Committee of Administrators issued a showcause notice to cricketers Hardik Pandya and KL Rahul on Wednesday, asking them to give an explanation in 24 hours regarding the statements they made on popular chat show Koffee With Karan. Rahul and Pandya made their debut on the show and the latter's remarks on women got him criticism on social media. Notably, Pandya apologized on Twitter.
Context
Backstory: From virginity to cool parents, Pandya spoke a lot
Pandya, in his blingy self, sat on the couch and his words were mindless for the most part of the episode. The cricketer boasted how his parents were 'cool' and revealed he told them after he lost virginity. "I told my parents Aaj main karke aaya," Pandya said. But this wasn't the worst part. As the minutes passed by, Pandya passed more cringeworthy remarks.
The statements
Pandya spoke about his relationships, women and irked all
About women, Pandya didn't have any good things to say. He said he liked to see them 'move' and credited his love for 'black culture' for this. When Rahul quipped Pandya had 'relationships' with all cheerleaders, Pandya didn't correct him. His demeanor showed he treated the 'allegation' as a 'feather in his cap'. Quite obviously, Pandya was criticized for his statements.
Sachin vs Virat
Their choice of better batsman also troubled many
The sexist, misogynist comments caught the netizens' eyes and many opined Pandya showed cricket was no longer a gentleman's game. They were also slammed for saying Virat Kohli was a better batsman than Sachin Tendulkar. Many claimed their choice reeked of sycophancy and they just wanted to secure their spot in the playing XI. After days of uproar, Pandya apologized.
Twitter Post
Pandya reflected on his comments and is now apologetic
— hardik pandya (@hardikpandya7) January 9, 2019
Action
Pandya's social media apology didn't help him
CoA believes Pandya's apology on Twitter is not enough. The body's chief Vinod Rai confirmed the action initiated. A senior official of BCCI said Pandya's behavior is troubling. "He needs to understand the impact the utterances of an international cricketer have in this country but more importantly he needs to learn how to differentiate between the right and the wrong," the official added.
Quote
"This is unacceptable and disgraceful"
"This is disgraceful and not acceptable from someone who represents the country and I will be writing to the Committee of Administrators so that these things are not repeated. I have also tweeted how I feel," former BCCI General Manager (Game Development) Ratnakar Shetty told HT.
Opinion
The thin line between class and crass
When the emotions of millions are attached to you, it can get a bit overwhelming. By saying he doesn't fret over the selection Pandya showed he wants to work hard, but his problematic statements reflected he doesn't understand the power of his words. Or maybe he does. He just chose to show the 'cool side' of him but ended up doing the exact opposite.