KSCA seeks relief for Gowtham

A day after Karnataka’s all-rounder K Gowtham was dropped from the India ‘A’ squad on disciplinary grounds, the Karnataka State Cricket Association said it is in talks with BCCI to get some relief for the player.

Gowtham’s decision to play a Karnataka Premier League game at the expense of a Duleep Trophy tie last week irked the national selectors and the 28-year-old was left out of the India ‘A’ squad which is scheduled to play two four-day matches against New Zealand ‘A’ starting from Saturday at Vijayawada.

The BCCI has begun an inquiry into the episode following which appropriate measures are expected to be taken with regard to Gowtham.

The off-spinner, who was in the India Red squad for the Duleep Trophy, wasn’t part of the side that played the second league game against India Blue from September 13-16 in Kanpur. Gowtham, who is learnt to have requested for leave due to Typhoid, turned out for Belagavi Panthers in their KPL tie against Ballari Tuskers at Hubballi on September 12.

Sudhakar Rao, KSCA secretary, said he spoke to the BCCI officials about the issue. “We are trying to convince the BCCI to not to overlook him for the future India ‘A’ tours. We want to assure the board that it was just a one-off incident,” he told DH. It is learnt that Gowtham, who returned to Karnataka from Kanpur after the first Duleep Trophy game, travelled with the Belagavi team for the Mysuru leg of KPL. Medical tests conducted in Mysuru revealed it was just a viral fever and not typhoid, prompting him to play the KPL tie.

Gowtham’s Karnataka team-mate Karun Nair is also missing from the ongoing Duleep Trophy game in Kanpur. Nair, who is India ‘A’ skipper, turned out for the Mysuru Warriors on September 19, the day the India Green vs India Blue match began.

Rao said that the player had received permission from the Board to play in KPL.