The IPL governing council expected to spend more time discussing recent legal developments than troubled franchise.
Vijay Tagore MUMBAI
It’s Sunday and it’s got to be about Kochi. The governing council of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will meet yet again to decide on the fate of the franchise. This time, one expects the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to come up with a decision with finality. Yes, the suspense will end, finally.
Knowing well that their fate will be known in the next few hours, stakeholders of the hitherto troubled franchise — cutting across the two warring groups — were confident of a positive decision. “All of them are optimistic. They are hoping to get the final go-ahead from the BCCI,” said a consortium insider.
Conflicting reports have suggested that the cricket board has invited all consortium members to sign on the affidavits before its lawyers on Sunday, but this piece of information could not be independently confirmed.
However, at this stage, things are looking positive for Kochi. Although the board officials are expected to mull over a lot of other IPL issues, yet the developments elsewhere in the league are unlikely to affect Kochi’s future. “The Kochi issue is independent of everything else,” said a GC member, without elaborating.
However, it is unlikely to be a unanimous decision. At least one member from North Zone is believed to be of the view that fresh tenders should be floated. How many more in the governing council share the view is not known.
As was already reported, BCCI bigwigs will also indulge in some introspection and stock-taking of the situation that has arisen out of recent developments on the legal front.
The independent arbitrator’s verdict against the BCCI’s decision to scrap Rajasthan Royals has led to a lot of soul-searching among the top officials. Significant in this context is a recent statement by BCCI president Shashank Manohar who said they are prepared to make the IPL a 10-team event if the court ordered them to do so. Manohar himself is a noted lawyer.
On Saturday, top BCCI officials, including Manohar and secretary N Srinivasan, met in Vadodara on the sidelines of the third ODI between India and New Zealand.
Disciplinary committee members Arun Jaitley, Jyotiraditya Scindia and Chirayu Amin — who, incidentally, was the host of the match — were also present. They are believed to have explored all legal options available.
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}