IPL Governing Council meet: Terminating CSK, RR gains traction, but BCCI in no hurry

Terminating CSK and RR was one of the options put forward at the IPL governing council meeting held in Mumbai on Sunday. (Source: PTI)

Two senior members of the Indian Premier League’s Governing Council is learnt to have urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India to give a serious thought in terminating Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals following the two-year ban imposed on the franchises by the Justice (retd) RM Lodha committee.

Terminating the two franchises was one of the options put forward at the IPL governing council meeting held in Mumbai on Sunday, with BCCI secretary Anurag Thakur and former board treasurer Ajay Shirke reportedly in its favour in order to restore the board’s image that has suffered in the wake of the IPL corruption scandal and the subsequent adverse remarks by the Supreme Court in the order. “Termination is the only option to restore faith in the game. We are not in a hurry, we will look at all options.” a top board official told The Indian Express.

“What’s wrong in terminating a team which has done wrong? When Kochi Tuskers and Pune Warriors were terminated, there was no such hue and cry, than why today?” the official wondered.

Justice (retd) Lodha has also cleared the air by saying the BCCI can terminate these two franchises after they were suspended for two years in the IPL betting scandal.

But the board wants to tread cautiously on the issue lest they be dragged to court as Deccan Chargers and Kochi Tuskers had done after they were terminated from IPL for breach of contract.

Recently, after a long-drawn arbitration proceedings, BCCI was asked to pay Rs 550 crore to the owners of Kochi Tuskers.

“We don’t want to be in a situation like we faced against Deccan Chargers and Kochi Tuskers. That is why we will look at all legal options and consequences before taking any action,” the official added.

Meanwhile, there were also those in the governing council who warned that the termination of CSK and Rajasthan Royals wouldn’t be easy. “Termination is a harsher punishment than the one given by Supreme Court appointed panel. This would mean CSK and Royals can challenge termination in court. They might have a strong case,” said one of the governing council members who wanted the BCCI to stick to the two-year suspension.

The governing council also decided to abide by the Lodha committee decisions in toto and authorised IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla to constitute a working group which will study the verdict, in consultation with all key advisers, and explore all possible measures to be adopted with an objective to protect the interests of all the stakeholders involved.

The working group will have six weeks to go through the verdict and report their recommendations to the IPL governing council, which will deliberate and share their views with the working committee of the BCCI for further action”

“BCCI respects the verdict of the Lodha Commission and will abide by their decisions, in toto. The members recognised that there is an urgent need to understand the impact of this decision and the wider ramifications for BCCI in detail, so as to uphold the paramountcy of the game in our country,” Thakur stated in a press release.