BCCI to seek revamp of ICC Code of Conduct: Sanjay Patel

MUMBAI: As James Anderson escaped any sort of censure for the 'pushgate' incident involving him and Ravindra Jadeja, the Indian cricket board ( BCCI) feels it is time that the ICC Code of Conduct undergoes a complete revamp.

"As I see it the ICC Code of Conduct needs to be revamped or rehauled, whatever you may call it. Currently the BCCI could not have asked for an appeal against the decision of the judicial commissioner ( Gordon Lewis who let off Anderson). The appellant in this case could have been only the ICC. It's a big flaw (in the process)," BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel told PTI today.

"I have already asked our boys at the BCCI and our lawyers to look into the entire Code of Conduct process and find out places where it can be tightened. Once this is done we will be sending a mail to ICC suggesting these changes to be undertaken for discussion at the right forum of ICC, whenever it takes place. At the moment there is no scheduled meeting of ICC.

"I will also write about the absence of video footage and insist this should not happen. This is all for the good governance of the game," said Patel.

The incident occurred during the lunch break of the second day's play in the first Test between England and India at Trent Bridge in Nottingham last month. The Indians alleged that pacer Anderson pushed and abused Jadeja, while England laid a counter-charge against the Indian all-rounder.

Match referee David Boon fined Jadeja for the incident which was appealed against by the Indians and the judicial commissioner declared Jadeja not guilty of breaching the players' Code of Conduct.

But he also let off Anderson, who was facing a ban of a few matches if found guilty, for lack of evidence as the video footage of the incident was not available.