Gillette suspend association with Hardik Pandya following chat show comments

Pandya received huge criticism for his remarks on Koffee With Karan, which included the line "I like to watch and observe how they move. I’m little from the black side so I need to see how they move"

Razor blade manufacturer Gillette have become the first company to suspend their association with Hardik Pandya following the cricketer's controversial comments on a TV chat show.

Pandya received huge criticism for his remarks on Koffee With Karan, which included the line "I like to watch and observe how they move. I’m little from the black side so I need to see how they move", when asked why he did not ask women their names in nightclubs.

Both he and India team-mate KL Rahul, who also featured on the same episode, have been provisionally suspended by the BCCI. Neither featured in the one-day international defeat by Australia on Saturday.

Pandya has apologised but he is starting to see the backlash affect his earnings however, with his endorsement of Gilette's Mach3 Start razor potentially the first to suffer.

^{Hardik Pandya has come under fire for his remarks on Koffee With Karan}

A company spokeperson told the Times of India: "Hardik Pandya's recent comments do not reflect the values of Gillette.

"We have suspended our association with Hardik until we decide on a further course of action."

Pandya's father Himanshu, meanhwile, has defended his son's words.

"I don't think people should read too much into his comments. It was an entertainment show and his comments were made in a light-hearted manner," he told mid-day.

"He was only looking to entertain the audience. So, it [his comments] should not be viewed very seriously or negatively. He is an innocent boy with a very fun-loving nature."

Hotstar, the online streaming platform which carries Koffee With Karan, has removed the episode starring Pandya from its public library, while India captain Virat Kohli has distanced the rest of the squad from the comments.