Cricket Association of Pondicherry has announced the immediate suspension of three first-class cricketers—J Karthikeyan, A Aravindaraj, and S Santhosh Kumaran—following serious allegations of misconduct. The state body confirmed the decision on Wednesday, noting that the players are accused of assaulting Venkataraman, the coach of the Under-19 state team.
3 Puducherry cricketers face suspension in coach assault case
The incident reportedly occurred on December 8 of last year and has since escalated into a serious legal matter. In its official statement regarding the suspension, the association revealed that the trio is facing grave criminal charges, specifically including assault and attempted murder.
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Prior to this suspension, all three players had been mainstays in Puducherry’s domestic cricket setup. They have represented the state in premier Indian tournaments such as the Ranji Trophy, the Vijay Hazare Trophy, and the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, with Aravindaraj continuing to feature in the squad during the most recent domestic campaign.
Pondicherry cricket board has implemented strict administrative measures, barring the three players from entering any of its premises or accessing association facilities. This suspension is comprehensive, extending to all national and external tournaments, which effectively sidelines the trio from professional cricket indefinitely. The association has explicitly stated that these sanctions will remain in force until the players are cleared of all pending charges by the court. However, the governing body has also outlined a path for recourse, noting that the accused individuals maintain the right to appeal the disciplinary action before the association’s designated Ethics Officer or Ombudsman.