BCCI to initiate legal proceedings against WICB, suspends all bilateral tours​

BCCI today decided to initiate legal proceedings against West Indies Cricket Board and suspended all bilateral tours between the two nations. This decision was taken due to abrupt cancellation of the tour by the WICB.

Hyderabad: BCCI today decided to initiate legal proceedings against West Indies Cricket Board and suspended all bilateral tours between the two nations. This decision was taken due to abrupt cancellation of the current India tour by the WICB.

Hours after the West Indies pulled out of the tour, the BCCI approached the Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) and quickly cobbled up a five-match ODI series to be played from November 1 to 14. The Indian board also confirmed the venues for the the Sri Lanka series during this meeting. The venues for the 5 ODIs against Sri Lanka will be Cuttack, Hyderabad, Ranchi, Kolkata and Ahmedabad.

BCCI confirmed this news via their official account on micro-blogging site Twitter.

News Alert: BCCI will initiate legal proceedings against West Indies Cricket Board due to the abrupt cancellation of the tour #INDvsWI — BCCI (@BCCI) October 21, 2014

News Alert: All Bilateral tours between BCCI and WICB stand suspended #INDvsWI — BCCI (@BCCI) October 21, 2014

News Alert: The venues for the 5 ODIs vs Sri Lanka will be Cuttack, Hyderabad, Ranchi, Kolkata and Ahmedabad #INDvsSL — BCCI (@BCCI) October 21, 2014

BCCI also selected team for the first three ODIs against Sri Lanka as well as a team for the for a practice match against the visitors. Virat Kohli will lead the Indian side in the absence of regular captain MS Dhoni, who has been given a rest.

Team for first 3 ODIs v SL – Virat (C), Shikhar, Rahane, Raina, Rayudu, Saha, Ashwin, Jadeja, Shami, Umesh, Ishant, Amit, Vijay, Aaron, Axar

— BCCI (@BCCI) October 21, 2014

Team for practice match vs SL - Manoj (C), Unmukt, Manan, Nair, Rohit, Kedar, Samson, Rasool, Karn, Stuart, Dhawal, Bumrah, Manish, Kuldeep — BCCI (@BCCI) October 21, 2014

The decision to opt for a legal recourse was taken by BCCI's all-powerful Working Committee that had assembled in Hyderbad to discuss the unprecedented move by the Caribbean team to pull out of the remainder of India tour because of the pay dispute with the Board.

The aggrieved Caribbean players, who were persuaded to take the field for the fourth ODI in Dharamsala on October 17, conveyed their decision to call off the remaining part of tour to the BCCI.

Top Board members were of the view that a stern message should be sent to WICB for aborting the tour and creating a huge problem for the BCCI.

The West Indies players were adamant to withdraw their service since they were unhappy with the new contracts, offered to them after landing in India.

As per the new contracts, agreed between the WICB and the Players Association (WIPA), the cricketers reportedly suffered a 75 per cent cut in their salaries.