Bishan Singh Bedi bats for under-fire Rahul Sharma

Kolkata: Former India captain Bishan Singh Bedi on Sunday said one should not "jump the gun" and prosecute leg-spinner Rahul Sharma, who faces possible arrest after testing positive for consumption of drugs at a rave party in May.

"Let`s not jump the gun and rather see what actually it is," the former Indian spinner said when asked if the Punjab bowler should be banned from cricket for his offence. "What guarantee you have that you are not going into speculation," he added. The Mumbai Police apprehended Rahul, who is now with the Indian team in Sri Lanka, along with South African cricketer Wayne Parnell from a rave party in a plush Juhu hotel on May 20. Meanwhile, Bedi also welcomed the BCCI`s move to invite Pakistan for ODIs and T20 mathches at the end of this year. "It is good to restore the cricketing ties with our neighbour," he said. Bedi held excess of limited overs cricket primarily responsible for the dearth of spinners in India in recent times. On chances of Yuvraj Singh`s return to the Indian team, Bedi said, "If BCCI finds him fit to play for the country he is always welcome." The legendary spinner also said it was good to see India starting their new season with win over Sri-Lanka in the first ODI in Hambantota. Asked about Indian`s chacnes in the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup in Sri-Lanka, Bedi said: "T20 is a lottery and no one can predict." Bedi also said that he was not aware if the Cricket Association of Bengal wanted to appoint him the state team`s spin bowling coach. "It is news for me," said Bedi, who was the chief guest of CAB`s annual prize award distribution ceremony. Former India captain Sourav Ganguly had suggested at a CAB meeting that Bengal should have a specialist coach, especially for slow blowers after which Bedi`s name came up for the post. PTI