Warne, Dixit to appear before IPL inquiry committee

The row between Rajasthan Royals captain Shane Warne and Rajasthan Cricket Association (RCA) secretary Sanjay Dixit refuses to die down even after the Australian apologised for abusing Dixit. The duo will now appear before a two member IPL inquiry committee Tuesday afternoon to present their version on Warne allegedly abusing dixit over the pitch fiasco. IPL commissioner Chirayu Amin and former India cricketer Ravi Shastri are the members of the committee.

Earlier, Warne had apologised for publicly insulting Dixit after an IPL match in Jaipur following an internal disciplinary inquiry by the franchise.

RR Chief Executive Sean Morris had said in an e-mail to RCA secretary Sanjay Dixit that the franchise had decided to take disciplinary action against Warne and the Australian has accepted it.

"An internal disciplinary panel was convened at earliest opportunity and met with Shane Warne to review his comments made to yourself post the prize giving. Following submissions from the player and other management staff who were present at the incident we have decided to take disciplinary action against the player," Morris said in the e-mail, the contents of which were posted by Dixit on his Twitter page.

"The player has accepted the action that we have taken and apologised for any distress caused," added Morris. The ugly incident took place just after the prize distribution ceremony of the IPL match between RR and Royal Challengers Bangalore at the Sawai Mansingh stadium here on May 11.

Disappointed at not acceding to his request for a favourable pitch for the match against Bangalore, Warne allegedly walked up to Dixit and abused him for not replying to his messages.

He called Dixit a liar, egoistic and asked him to go away, forcing Rajasthan Royals owner Shilpa Shetty to intervene and apologise for the incident. Morris had asserted that the franchise will not tolerate such incidents in future.

"As a franchise we have told all our players that we will not tolerate colourful language towards anyone and in particular not a senior officer such as yourself," Morris said.

"On behalf of everyone at Rajasthan Royals please accept my apologies for any distress that this might have caused you personally. I would also like to take this opportunity to thank you and the entire RCA for all their hard work and support they have given to us throughout the IPL," he said.

RCA however had already lodged a complaint against Warne with the BCCI and the IPL for publicly abusing Dixit for not acceding to his request of a suitable pitch.

(With inputs from PTI)