Nitin Dalal

“It’s absolutely shocking to know that a Mumbai cricketer was approached. We will write to the BCCI to identify the player, who was approached, so that we can investigate the matter. We were not aware about any such incident else our team manager would have reported the matter to us,” MCA’s Honorary Secretary Nitin Dalal told mid-day yesterday

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According to a report yesterday, the Mumbai-based RR player initially dismissed the approach from his Ranji teammate a month back as a joke, but later sensed he was serious when he spoke about money, and immediately informed the RR team management, who in-turn, reported it to the Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU).

The player reported to have made the offer is not part of IPL-8. Royals have five cricketers from Mumbai — Ajinkya Rahane, Pravin Tambe, Dinesh Salunkhe, Dhawal Kulkarni and Abhishek Nayar.

BCCI Secretary Anurag Thakur in a statement said: “We are happy to note that the prompt action of the player is an outcome of the ongoing initiative of the BCCI to educate cricketers at various levels to reject and report any such incidents or approaches made by individuals, who intend to damage the fabric of the game.”

Rajasthan Royals CEO Raghu Iyer praised the “honesty and integrity” of the player and said the incident highlights that if players and other officials co-operate and disclose information or approaches immediately, the game can be kept clean and free from undesirable elements and activities.