Ranji Trophy: Maharashtra's Ankeet Bawne gets one-match ban for dissent

Pune: Maharashtra batter Ankeet Bawne has been handed a one-match suspension by the BCCI for showing dissent against an on-field umpire's call in a Ranji Trophy match last year because of which he is missing the tie against Baroda, currently underway in Nashik.

The BCCI conveyed the decision to the Maharashtra team at the Golf Club Ground in Nashik, where it is playing its Group A Ranji match.

The incident had occurred at the MCA ground in November last year where Bawne had stood his ground after being caught in the slips by Services' Shubham Rohilla off Amit Shukla.

Bawne refused to leave the field for about 15 minutes as the decision could not be challenged due to the unavailability of DRS. The contest resumed following the intervention of match referee Amit Sharma and Maharashtra coach Sulakshan Kulkarni.

"The Maharashtra Cricket Association would like to officially inform that our Ranji Trophy player, Ankeet Bawne, is currently serving a one-match ban imposed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI)," the MCA said in a release on Thursday.

"As a result, Ankeet Bawne is unavailable for selection in the ongoing Ranji Trophy match against Baroda. However, we are pleased to confirm that he will be available for the next match and continue contributing to the success of the Maharashtra team," the release said.

"We respect the decisions of the BCCI and remain committed to upholding the principles of discipline and sportsmanship in the game of cricket. The team is fully focused on delivering its best in the ongoing game, and we look forward to Ankeet's participation in the upcoming matches," the state cricket's governing body added.

Maharashtra captain Ruturaj Gaikwad had posted images of the dismissal on his social media account while being away on the India A tour of Australia at that time, suggesting that Bawne was not out and the decision was incorrect.