The BCCI today decided against terminating the suspended IPL franchises of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, putting an end to the speculation surrounding their fate and ensuring their comeback in the cash-rich league in 2018.
At its working committee meeting, the Board decided that it would go with the Supreme Court-appointed Justice R M Lodha committee’s recommendation of suspending the two teams for two years, making the next two IPLs an eight-team affair.
However, the BCCI did not clarify whether IPL will be a 10-team affair from 2018, when CSK and RR will come back to the fold.
“The decision whether it will be a 10-team affair from 2018 will only be taken at the AGM where the other major decisions including bilateral series with Pakistan will be discussed,” a senior BCCI office-bearer told
Among other important decisions taken at today’s meeting, the Board has scheduled its Annual General Meeting for November 9.
The BCCI said it will invite fresh bids for two new teams, which will be competing from 2016 onwards to complete the eight-team format in the absence of CSK and RR.
The Working Committee’s decision was strictly in lines with the suggestions of the IPL Working Group, which comprised of IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla, secretary Anurag Thakur, former India captain Sourav Ganguly and treasurer Aniruddh Chaudhary.
“The Justice Lodha committee interim report will be implemented fully. The two franchisee teams, Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals remain suspended for two years. BCCI will float tenders and invite bids for two new teams to replace CSK & RR in the Indian Premier League for 2016 and 2017 (2 years).”
Majority of the BCCI members were not too keen on termination of the two IPL franchises, which were involved in the spot-fixing scandal in 2013.
The BCCI top brass has always maintained that it would implement Lodha Committee’s recommendations in toto and since the Supreme Court appointed committee had suspended for two years, the Working group also stuck by it.
The decision was also in consonance with president Shashank Manohar’s statement that BCCI won’t be vindictive towards any of its state units.
Other decisions that were taken and ratified at today’s meeting included starting the Treasurer’s Office operations from the BCCI Headquarters here at the earliest.
Besides, “M/S Gokhale & Sathe has been appointed as the internal auditors of the BCCI. They replace M/S P.B Vijayragahavan & Company. The Board has appointed M/S Deloitte for ‘Project Transformation,” the BCCI stated.
The BCCI also appointed Price Water House Cooper as the independent agency for due diligence on the utilisation of funds provided to the state associations. “The BCCI rules regarding Conflict of Interest and the amendments to the Rules and Regulations of the Board are being proposed for the consideration at the AGM,” it added.
The Board said it was also looking to revive the National Cricket Academy.
“As proposed by the president, the revival of the National Cricket Academy (NCA) as the centre of excellence is the top most priority of the BCCI. Board will look at the lands offered by KIADB. Mr. MP Pandove (Chairman NCA ), Mr. Rajeev Shukla, Mr. Anirudh Chaudhry (Hon.Treasurer—BCCI) and Mr. Amitabh Choudhary (Joint Secretary — BCCI) will inspect the lands offered by KIADB and finalise the deal within one month.”