New Delhi: Seasoned India opener Gautam Gambhir was on Saturday handed a four-match suspension from first-class cricket for his altercation with coach Bhaskar Pillai during this year’s Vijay Hazare Trophy in March.

Gambhir was found guilty of “seriously inappropriate behaviour” by a three-member independent probe panel, set up by Justice Vikramjit Sen, comprising Madan Lal, Rajendra Rathore and Soni Singh.

The committee, however, suspended the punishment for a two-year period, ending on March 19, 2019, contingent on Gambhir accepting the ruling.

During the Vijay Hazare Trophy, Gambhir had criticised Bhaskar for creating an insecure environment for youngsters after which the DDCA set up a committee to investigate the argument.

“The Committee Members agree that considering the above facts and circumstances that have come to light, Gambhir’s actions towards Pillai with premeditated intent to humiliate the coach were highly inappropriate and of serious nature,” Sen said in a statement.

“The position of a coach among the team members is of high respect and dignity. It is a serious disgrace to a coach to be humiliated in front of team members by one of the team members even though it is a senior player.

“The actions of Gambhir, however well intended, cannot be said to be in the interest of the team, or its performance or the game as it was done on the very last day of the season and therefore could not have any corrective effect,” the statement said.