India cricketer Parvez Rasool found himself in the middle of an awkward situation after the Jammu & Kashmir Cricket Association (JKCA) alleged that the all-rounder took a pitch roller and was not returning it. In addition, a report in The Indian Express stated that JKCA also issued a notice against Rasool, directing him to either return the roller or face 'police action'.
Brigadier (retd) Anil Gupta, a member of the three-member sub-committee appointed by the Indian cricket board to run JKCA, wrote an email in this regard, which stated: “Do we have any proof to nail him down.”
Gupta in his mail has marked Rasool along with the other administrators.
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A report in The Indian Express on Friday quoted Gupta as saying: "We have not only written to Parvez Rasool but to all district associations and whosoever has taken JKCA machinery from Srinagar. Machinery was distributed at district associations without any vouchers. In many districts where we don’t have a mailing address, the letter was sent to the concerned person whose name was registered with us. He (Rasool) took offence to why the mail was written to him.”
“We did this because we want to prepare an audit report, a ledger book needs to be maintained. There is hardly any book maintained here over the years. So when we took over after the court’s order, we saw that these machinery are not being found,” the JKCA official added.
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The report also quoted Rasool's response to the mail, in which the cricketer has denied any wrongdoing and expressed displeasure in the manner JKCA is handling the issue.
"This is to inform you that I Parvez Rasool first international cricketer have represented my country and also played in IPL, Duleep Trophy, Deodhar trophy, India A, Board president XI, Irani Trophy, captained the J&K Ranji team from last 6 years and only cricketer from J&K who got best all-rounder award from BCCI 2 times. Today I got a letter stating that I have taken roller from JKCA which is really unfortunate… Let me clarify that I haven’t taken any roller or machine from JKCA. I am a player who is playing cricket. I just want to ask is this the way to treat international cricketer who has given life and soul to J&K cricket. You have an affiliated body in all districts; you should ask them for any JKCA equipment if present in their districts rather than me,” the cricketer wrote in response to the mail by JKCA.
Rasool, who hails from Bijbehara in Anantnag district, has featured in one ODI and T20I for India. He has made a total of 11 appearance in the cash-rich Indian Premier League.
