LONDON: Eight years after the BCCI first expanded the Indian Premier League to a ten-team competition in 2011 (and ditched it within the next two years owing to multiple controversies), the “once failed” proposition is back on the agenda.
The matter was discussed here during a meeting of the IPL franchise owners and “other stakeholders” last week, multiple reports have confirmed.
“We discussed increasing the number of teams but it was an informal discussion. Anyway the teams don’t have the authority to decide on the matter, the BCCI will have to take a call but we are open to the idea,” a team official, who attended the meeting in London, told PTI.
Another official also confirmed IPL expansion was discussed in the meeting.
“There was a discussion but it was done at an informal level. There is no concrete plan as of now on how to go about it. More teams will lead to more games which could mean a bigger scheduling window. So, all of that needs to be worked out,” said the official.
Times of India went further and reported that the Adani Group (for Ahmedabad), the RPG-Sanjeev Goenka Group (for Pune), the Tatas (for Ranchi and Jamshedpur) and some other corporate houses are likely to be the top bidders as the IPL “gets ready to expand from eight teams to ten”.
“The plan is ready. Expansion is a certainty. What needs to be worked out is the tender process and how to go about it. Expect things to fall in place soon, certainly before the next IPL edition,” sources familiar with developments told TOI.
A senior BCCI official, however, told IANS that talks and all are fine, but every step needs to be calculated well and the functionaries in the board need to help the franchises understand the ground reality before taking a step in the direction.
“They are our stakeholders and the BCCI shares a very good relationship with the franchisees. We are concerned that such opaque behaviour and casual statements and remarks by someone in the senior professional management can unnecessarily mar the trust and relation between the BCCI and the franchisees.
“Some people seem to thrive in creating misunderstandings in order to compensate for their lack of competence. When the time comes, we will have a sincere dialogue with the franchisees on this,” the official said.
He went on to add that bringing stability in the BCCI should be the primary focus at present before looking to fulfil the common dream of having ten teams in the league.
“Even we want new teams, but we must take into account ground realities. But some people seem to think that they have become the owners of the BCCI and that they can sell the BCCI properties on a whim only to further their own interests. They seem to be selling fantasies to those who care to believe. Who is the BCCI? The collection of members. With the problems that have been going on for the last three years, the first order of the day is to bring sanity to the proceedings at the grassroots.
“An informal gathering which is not a forum under the BCCI constitution obviously cannot take decisions but they must discuss all these points as we encourage interactions and different view points. If CEO Rahul Johri was aware of such a meeting, why did he not inform the office bearers of the same? Is transparency only something that must be confined to words?” he enquired.
Looking at the lighter side, the official added: “Here we could not settle the number 4 batsman debate and someone seems to be hoping for 44 new players of a near-international level. Basics first please.”
