Atul Bedade suspended as Baroda women's cricket coach for alleged sexual harassment

The Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) has indefinitely suspended Atul Bedade as the head coach of the women's side after allegations of sexual harassment were made against him.

The Baroda Cricket Association (BCA) has indefinitely suspended Atul Bedade as the head coach of the women's side after allegations of sexual harassment were made against him. The Association's letter to Bedade didn't list specific allegations against him. It, however, noted that their nature: "Personal comments on physicality", "Comments that discourage the morale of team members", "Angry outbursts unbecoming of a women's team coach and using unparliamentary language that is not accepted of a person in-charge", and "Behaviour oblivious of gender sensitivity", ESPNCricinfo reported.

Ajit Lele, who is the secretary of the BCA has confirmed that a probe committee would be formed to look into the allegations against Bedade. Bedade has said these allegations have come across as a surprise to him and he would put his side of the story in the coming days.

"This has come to me as a surprise. This is all baseless and false allegations. I will put my side forwards soon," ESPNCricinfo quoted Bedade as saying. The 53-year-old Bedade played 13 ODIs for India in the 1990s and took over as the Baroda women's team coach in April 2019. (ANI)