Maharashtra cricketer Ankeet Bawne has been suspended for one match by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for displaying unsportsmanlike conduct during a Ranji Trophy match. Bawne, who is a veteran in the domestic setup, had his captain Ruturaj Gaikwad’s backing as well.
What did actually happen?
Bawne’s ban stems from an incident that occurred in November last year at the MCA ground, where Bawne refused to leave the field after being dismissed. During the match against Services, Bawne was caught in the slips by Shubham Rohilla off bowler Amit Shukla. Instead of walking off immediately, he stood his ground for approximately 15 minutes, causing a significant delay in play. The situation was complicated by the unavailability of the Decision Review System (DRS), which prevented challenging the umpire’s decision.
The match eventually resumed after interventions from match referee Amit Sharma and Maharashtra coach Sulakshan Kulkarni. The Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) officially confirmed the BCCI’s one-match suspension, which means Bawne is unavailable for the ongoing Ranji Trophy match against Baroda.
Ruturaj Gaikwad backs his teammate
Interestingly, Maharashtra captain Ruturaj Gaikwad, who was on an India A tour of Australia at the time, had previously shared images suggesting the dismissal might have been incorrect. He took to his Instagram to point out the umpire’s mistake. Regardless, Bawne had to sit out for the clash against Baroda, where Maharashtra have made 258/7 on Day 1.
Ankeet Bawne’s domestic stats
| Format | Mat | Inns | Runs | HS | Ave | SR | 100s | 50s | 4s | 6s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| FC | 122 | 194 | 8241 | 258* | 51.50 | 47.66 | 24 | 42 | 942 | 76 |
| List A | 126 | 117 | 4650 | 184* | 48.43 | 79.48 | 15 | 20 | 419 | 67 |
| T20s | 42 | 35 | 875 | 90* | 35.00 | 131.57 | 0 | 7 | 83 | 31 |
