ICC Commissioner upholds ban on Gambhir

NAGPUR: India suffered a huge jolt ahead of the fourth and final cricket Test against Australia with the ICC Appeals Commissioner upholding Gautam Gambhir's one-match Test ban imposed on the in-form opener for elbowing Shane Watson in the last match.

The ICC Commissioner Justice Albie Sach's decision not to overturn the one-match ban, slapped by Match Referee Chris Broad, has been conveyed to the Indian cricket Board which has refused to accept the ruling.

"The Board of Control for Cricket in India has received today at 13.30 HRS IST the order of Justice Sachs, Appeals Commissioner, on the appeal of Gautam Gambhir against the decision of Chris Broad, ICC Match Referee imposing a One Test Ban against him. The Appeals Commissioner has rejected the appeal and upheld the penalty of one Test ban imposed by the ICC Match Referee", the BCCI secretary N Srinivasan said in a statement.

The BCCI, however, said that that order had been passed without giving the player an opportunity of personal hearing and legal representation.

"The order has been passed without affording the player an opportunity of personal hearing, legal representation and without acceding to his request for certain documents / recordings to be given to him and also denying him an extension of time", Srinivasan said.

"On receipt of the order, the Board has refused to accept the decision of the Appeals Commissioner and has sent its objection to the same to ICC", he said.