Chauhan continues to be haunted by action

The national selectors, taking cognisance of the ICC directive, were compelled to drop the Madhya Pradesh offie.

According to the letter from ICC chief executive Dave Richards to the BCCI secretary, the report submitted by Simpson, expressed his and several umpires’ concern over the legitimacy of Chauhan’s bowling action under the laws of cricket.

The ICC had informed the Board on December 4 last month about having obtained discreet and confidential video footage of the bowler in action during the recent Test series against Sri Lanka and that it would be placed before the advisory panel for illegal deliveries.

The panel (excluding Bob Simpson and the representative from India and Sri Lanka) reviewed the video footage and discussed the issue with the chairman of the cricket committee Clyde Walcott last week which found that there was indeed a problem with Chauhan’s bowling action.

Chauhan, in fact, had been in the ICC’s "hit-list" after the New Zealand-India Test series, two seasons ago. It had resulted in the BCCI appointing a two-member committee headed by Sunil Gavaskar and Kapil Dev to look into the issue. By the time the committee went about its task, Chauhan had emerged as the highest wicket-taker (55 wickets) in Ranji Trophy (1996-97).

The BCCI was guilty of the delay as, despite obtaining the videotapes from the ICC in August 1996, it took almost a year for the issue to reach a conclusive phase.

Interestingly, Gavaskar and Kapil, who had scrutinised Chauhan at a special session had termed their findings "inconclusive". They had stated that since the bowler was conscious of the test he was undergoing, it was difficult to undermine the legacy of the bowling action. Besides, the ICC tapes that they were in possession didn’t contain a side view. The BCCI had then sought a proper footage from the ICC to study the shoulder rotation.

Incidentally, ICC chief Jagmohan Dalmiya had then stated that the two-member committee’s findings had been conveyed to the ICC after which it was decided that the bowler should not be deprived of international action. It thus, cleared the decks for Chauhan’s comeback to the national squad for the Asia Cup played in Sri Lanka in August last year.

However, the Test series against Sri Lanka later, found Chauhan in the dock again. The only solace now for Chauhan is that the Board is willing to foot the expenses for him to go abroad for correcting his action, according to BCCI secretary Jayant Lele.