On Friday, December 12, the Assam Cricket Association (ACA) suspended four players, Amit Sinha, Ishan Ahmed, Aman Tripathi, and Abhishek Thakuri, with immediate effect due to charges of involvement in corrupt cricket practices.
An FIR has been filed with the Crime Branch in Guwahati, and the BCCI’s Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) has investigated the case. The ACA has also started criminal proceedings. Thakuri, one of the suspended players, has played two Ranji Trophy matches for Assam this season, both in November.
“The four players are accused of influencing and attempting to instigate some of the current Assam team players, who took part in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy 2025 held in Lucknow from November 26 to December 8. Prima facie, there appears to be involvement of the aforementioned four players in serious misconduct, affecting the integrity of the sports,” ACA secretary Sanatan Das said in a press release as quoted by The Indian Express.
The four Assam players’ suspensions will last till the investigation is completed and the ACA makes a final decision.
Earlier this week, BCCI secretary Devajit Saikia, who is from Assam, responded to The Indian Express’s probe into many malpractices within the Cricket Association of Pondicherry (CAP).
The investigation found that the CAP administration consistently denied Puducherry-born cricketers significant representation in domestic events. It revealed situations in which outstation gamers were forced to pose as locals using forged educational certificates and Aadhaar addresses. Since 2021, Puducherry has only fielded five native players in the Ranji Trophy.
In a parallel incident, S. Venkataraman, CAP’s Under-19 head coach, was allegedly assaulted on Monday by three local cricketers who were not selected for the ongoing Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, a national T20 tournament. Venkataraman reportedly sustained a brain injury and a shattered shoulder during the attack.
“The news items raise some serious allegations, and therefore the BCCI will look into the matter soon,” said Saikia in response to The Indian Express.
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