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Puducherry Cricket Body Suspends Three First-Class Players Over Alleged Assault on U-19 Coach

The suspension underscores a hard line on player conduct during an active criminal case.

Overview

  • The Cricket Association of Pondicherry, which announced the move Wednesday, suspended J. Karthikeyan, A. Aravindaraj and S. Santhosh Kumaran with immediate effect over allegations they attacked U-19 coach S. Venkataraman.
  • The association said police have filed a charge sheet under FIR No. 100/2025 that includes attempt to murder and assault, and the case is pending before the Judicial Magistrate IV Court in Puducherry.
  • CAP barred the trio from all association premises and from playing in domestic or external tournaments until a court clears them, with a right to appeal to the body’s Ethics Officer or Ombudsman.
  • The alleged assault occurred on December 8, 2025, and reports say the coach suffered a head injury and a shoulder fracture during the incident.
  • The players have featured in India’s Ranji Trophy, Vijay Hazare Trophy and Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, so their suspension could strain Puducherry’s player pool and disrupt team selection.