IPL player retention: Bombay high court to decide on deadline extension today

The Bombay high court (HC) will decide on Friday whether to ask the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to extend the deadline for the franchises to submit the list of players they wish to retain for IPL 4. The current deadline is December 5. Each team is allowed to retain four players.

Justice SJ Vazifdar heard Kings XI Punjab’s plea following the recusal of arbitrator Justice BN Srikrishna, a retired Supreme Court judge. The cricket board has also challenged the stay granted to Rajasthan Royals by the arbitrator who declared that the termination of RR’s contract was illegal.

BCCI counsel CA Sundaram argued, “What happens to star players signed? What if the termination is held to be correct by the court? Players (retained by the expelled franchises) will lose chance to play in the IPL.’’ Sundaram said the court could let both franchises give a list of the players they wish to retain, subject to the final outcome.

Meanwhile, Darius Kambata contended since KXIP’s contract is terminated, it is at a disadvantage to negotiate with players. “A player may not negotiate if his future is uncertain,’’ remarked justice Vazifdar.

Since the court indicated that it will decide next week on KXIP’s petition against termination of its franchise contract as well as on the board’s appeal against the arbitrator’s order in RR’s case, Kambata sought the postponement of date for nominating players for retention.