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[Saba Sports News] Nikhil Chaudhary, the 28-year-old spinner who was recently acquitted of rape charges, is set to rejoin the Hobart Hurricanes in the Big Bash League (BBL). The charges stemmed from an alleged incident in 2021 involving a 20-year-old woman in a car in Townsville. Cricket Tasmania, however, stated they were unaware of the charges or court proceedings until after the fact.
Chaudhary, who joined the franchise in late 2023 and extended his contract through 2027 before the trial, played nine games in the BBL 2023, averaging 26 runs and taking five wickets.
Salliann Beams, Cricket Tasmania’s high-performance general manager, expressed the organization’s surprise over being kept in the dark, emphasizing the challenge of balancing legal advice and organizational transparency. Beams noted, “[It’s] not so much the incident… It’s just the disclosure of information. We want to know where we sit on that because we were
completely in the dark.”
Furthermore, she conveyed disappointment that Chaudhary did not inform the club about his legal situation, which could potentially impact the organization’s reputation. Beams commented on the difficult position players find themselves in when legally advised to remain silent, acknowledging the complexities of balancing different perspectives. She also expressed pride in how Cricket Tasmania managed the situation, ensuring efficient handling of every employee’s case.