New BCCI president N Srinivasan gave assurances that the players’ interests of the terminated IPL franchise Kochi Tuskers Kerala will be taken care of by the cricket board. The BCCI had terminated the Kochifranchise’s contract citing a breach of contractual terms – a move that had prompted the franchise to threaten legal action.
- Kochi Tuskers Kerela
“What will be the consequences of the termination and the future of the players as well as whether to play with nine teams – all these will be decided by the IPL governing council. (But) players’ interest will be safeguarded. BCCI will not leave the players in the lurch. We will find an equitable solution that is viable for both, the players and the BCCI,” Srinivasan said.
Srinivasan elaborated on the question of the number of teams in the IPL, saying: “Whether it will be nine-team affair it’s for the IPL governing council to take a call at their next meeting, which I hope, is soon. I can’t decide that on my own its a decision of the IPL governing council and for BCCI as a whole to take.”
Srinivasan also brushed aside allegations of conflict of interest involved in him holding the top post in the BCCI and being the owner of the Chennai Super Kings at the same time, saying that the team was owned by India Cements Limited and not him.
“India Cements, the public limited company, owns Chennai Super Kings. I don’t own it. I don’t have any personal conflict of interest at all. All members take decisions in the BCCI at the AGM or the executive committee unanimously. In governing council if any matter on franchisee issue comes up I would excuse myself,” Srinivasan said.
“I don’t make up the governing council. There are eminent people and I will observe all propriety as far as the IPL franchisee is concerned,” he said.
Regarding the just-concluded England tour of India, Srinivasan, while backing the Indian team, reiterated that there would be no post-mortem of the side that failed to win a international single match.
“I agree that we lost badly and whoever watched the matches are aware about the reasons. We had far more injuries than we had in the past during a single tour. We did not have a full strength team to begin with and a little bad luck that England played well. It’s too early to write off the team or to criticise the team whom we praised to the sky two months ego,” he said.
While many attributed the team’s pathetic show in England to too much cricket, Srinivasan said the players can ask for rest whenever they wish to.
“Our team played a little bit more than other teams, but not the all players. Many of them played only 50-60 per cent of the total number of days. Senior players are professionals and they know their bodies best,” he said.
“If they feel the need to take rest the board would grant it and in the past (too), the board has granted them rest. Playing for Indiais more important and that will be the priority. IPL franchisees have been asked to inform the BCCI and the physio about the injury of any player.”
Asked about the controversial Decision Review System, Srinivasan said that the BCCI would take it up with ICC to reverse the decision taken in Hong Kong meeting in which India had agreed to use a modified version of the DRS.
“In the last ICC meeting in Hong Kong, India has agreed to use a minimum standard DRS, namely the use of hotspot. TheEngland tour has proved otherwise. We have to again take up with the ICC that the decision taken atHong Kong has to be reversed. We presently don’t believe in the accuracy of the technology on hot spot. We have to convince others about our viewpoint,” he told a television channel.
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