India Today sting: Pune curator Pandurang Salgaonkar puts pitch on sale hours before India-New Zealand 2nd ODI

India Today reporters disguised as bookies unearthed a massive scandal on Wednesday as they caught the Maharashtra Cricket Association pitch curator allowing people to tamper with the pitch on the eve of the second ODI between India and New Zealand in Pune.

Pandurang Salgaonkar has been barred from entering the ground and an investigation will now take place against him and all those responsible behind this scandal.

The match however, will go an as per schedule at the MCA stadium in Pune.

Pandurang Salgaonkar has been caught on camera talking to our reporters, who were disguised as bookies, revealing that the pitch will be made according to their demands.

The reporters asked Salgaonkar that two players want bounce on the pitch and if it can be done to which Salgaonkar replied, "it will be done".

Salgaonkar also said that it is going to be a 337-340 wicket either way. He also assured on camera that a score as big as 337 will be chaseable.

Salgaonkar even allowed our reporters to inspect the pitch in person, clearly violating the laws as set by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the International Cricket Council (ICC).

FULL CONVERSATION

In what was a savage blow to the ICC and the BCCI's stiff codes on corruption and on restrictions over outsider access to the field before matches, Salgaoncar not only accompanied India Today's undercover reporters to the Pune pitch but also allowed them to tap it.

Worse, he revealed to the reporters, posing as bookies, the wicket was a belter.

"It is very good. I guess it will garner 337 (runs)," Salgaoncar disclosed.

"Are you sure?" probed the journalist.

"Sure and 337 will be chase-able," the curator replied a day before the ODI. "There's no doubt about it."

If he's to be believed, Pune's wicket was definitely a big-scoring paradise - a bonanza for hard-hitters on the field and for the bookies gambling on them off it.

Salgaoncar, himself a former cricketer, also permitted the investigative reporters to take a test walk on the pitch and stamp it with the feet.

"It's not allowed. Still, we did it. The BCCI observer is also sitting around," he confessed. "If someone asks me tomorrow, I'd say no one came. I don't know."

Now, the curator guaranteed doctoring the pitch to favour one of the teams.

"Two players want some bounce on the pitch. If that can be done," asked the reporter.

"It will be given," he agreed. "I told you this is a 340-run wicket, either way," Salgaoncar added.

"That's fine. That can be bet on. But we want (a team) to be favoured," demanded the journalist.

"That will be done good. I told you," the pitch curator promised.

MCA PRESIDENT PROMISES ACTION

MCA president Abhay Apte spoke to India Today right after the sting operation was aired and he said, "We will look into the matter. Rest assured, if anyone found guilty, strict action will be taken."

This is yet another big blow to the Indian cricket board which had just about got back on its feet after being hit by the Indian Premier League spot-fixing and betting scandal in 2013.

Remember the pitch in question here is the same one which was rated poor by the ICC after the India-Australia Test match which was played in February this year.

Australia had thrashed India by 333 runs on a rank-turner after the hosts were bowled out for 105 and 107 in both innings and the match finished within three days.

India are trailing 0-1 in the three-match series after losing the first match by 6 wickets at the Wankhede stadium in Mumbai.

Meanwhile, several developments took place after India Today's expose. The Maharashtra Cricket Association promised strong action while the BCCI joint secretary said he was shocked.

The Committee of Administrators head Vinod Rai told India Today the guilty will be punished. The Supreme Court-appointed committee was already monitoring the situation.

GUILTY WILL BE PUNISHED: COA BOSS VINOD RAI TO INDIA TODAY

The Committee of Administrators has reacted to India Today's sting operation on the Pune pitch curator, hours before the second ODI between India and New Zealand.

The Supreme Court-appointed CoA head Vinod Rai told India Today the guilty would be punished. The committee is already monitoring the situation closely after the sting operation broke on India Today TV this morning.

MAHARASHTRA CRICKET ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT PROMISES STRONG ACTION

Maharashtra Cricket Association president Abhay Apte has promised India Today that strict action will be taken against anyone found guilty of tampering with the Pune pitch ahead of the second ODI between India and New Zealand which will be played in a few hours time.

MCA president Abhay Apte spoke to India Today right after the sting operation was conducted on curator Pandurang Salgaonkar in which he agreed to make the wicket according to their demands

"We will look into the matter. Rest assured, if anyone found guilty, strict action will be taken," Apte said while on his way to the stadium.

BCCI SHOCKED AFTER INDIA TODAY STING OPERATION The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) joint secretary Amitabh Chaudhary said he is shocked with what has transpired this morning after India Today conducted a sting operation on the Pune pitch curator and caught him revealing details about the wicket on camera.

"The BCCI has zero tolerance on such issues. I am not yet aware of the full thing. I will attend to it immediately and take strictest action. The guilty will not be spared," Chaudhary told India Today.

"A strict action has been taken against the pitch curator and the employment relationship between Pandurang Salgaonkar and MCA stands terminated," BCCI Chief Executive Rahul Johri said in a statement.

"The BCCI is in touch with the MCA and appropriate measures will be taken with regards to the matter. The BCCI will continue to enforce strict measures in case of such misconduct in the future."

PUNE PITCH CURATOR BARRED FROM ENTERING STADIUM

Pune pitch curator Pandurang Salgaonkar who was caught on India Today's camera agreeing to manipulate some bounce, some movement and some balance between bat and ball for the Wednesday ODI at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) stadium, has been barred from entering the ground.

India Today has also been able to confirm that preliminary action will be taken against Salgaonkar, who was a first-class cricketer.

BAN PUNE CURATOR, DEMANDS AZHAR

Former India captain Mohammad Azharuddin has called for a ban on Pune pitch curator Pandurang Salgaonkar, who was caught on India Today's camera agreeing to manipulate some bounce, some movement and some balance between bat and ball for the Wednesday ODI at the Maharashtra Cricket Association (MCA) stadium.

Salgaoncar has already been barred from entering the stadium for today's ODI and he faces preliminary action but Azhar has called for a complete ban on the curator.