NEW DELHI: A happy coincidence or something more? It doesn’t really matter. The School Games Federation of India (SGFI) on Thursday announced a country wide talent hunt for boys aged 12 to 18 years for the Indian School Players League (ISPL), to be held in Dubai in 2018.
It bears noting that ISPL is nothing but a re-badged iteration of the Indian Junior Players League (IJPL), which the BCCI – world cricket’s monopolistic Big Daddy – had declared unsanctioned after it completed its inaugural edition in September.
While ISPL organisers and commercial rights holders IJPL Sports Management have denied any timing connection (and SportzPower believes them), it is true that the development comes only a day after the Competition Commission of India directed the BCCI not to implement any ‘blanket restrictions’ on the organisation of professional domestic leagues or events by non-members.
CCI has also fined the BCCI Rs 522.4 million for “anti-competitive practices” regarding the Indian Premier League, which, not surprisingly, IPL chairman Rajiv Shukla has asserted would be challenged in court.
Regarding IJPL, BCCI had said in a statement issued in October: “It has come to our attention that certain T20 cricket matches, series, tournaments and/or camps are being conducted by leagues under the names of Indian Junior Players League (IJPL) and Junior India Player League/Junior Indian League (JIPL).
“Please note that any player registered with the BCCI knowingly participating, representing or associating himself/herself with IJPL and JIPL in any manner is doing so without the consent of BCCI would be doing so in violation of the BCCI Rules and Regulations.”
Meanwhile, IJPL Sports Management asserts that BCCI’s instructions apply only for players who are registered with the national cricket body. The organisers have further covered their backs by ensuring that ISPL is organised under the aegis of the SGFI so the BCCI cannot play spoiler.
SGFI secretary general Rajesh Mishra, who is also chairman of the Khelo India Technical Committee, told The Hindu that more such leagues for games like badminton, table tennis and football were in the pipeline.
He said the overarching idea was to provide a thrust to the whole exercise of sports at the school level by roping in the private sector.
Ahead of ISPL, camps will be held across the country to identify players, each of whom will get three days of trials.
16 State teams will be formed, which will compete on a league-cum knock-out basis in the T20 format in Dubai in November 2018.
The champions will get Rs 3.1 million while the runner-up teams will be presented Rs 1.1 million.
The ‘most valuable player’ of the tournament will get an opportunity to play in minor county cricket.
All the expenses of the players, coaches and other personnel, who are selected for the league in Dubai, will be borne by the organisers of the ISPL.
IJPL Sports Management managing director Dinesh Kapoor told media on Thursday that ISPL was a step to support talent at the grassroots level.
Sampat Rai, one of the directors of ISPL, insisted to Hindustan Times that the change of name was done as SGFI came on board and not because BCCI had declared IJPL as unsanctioned.
“After SGFI came on board, they requested that we should include school in our league’s name. We agreed to their proposal and changed the name. It has nothing to do with BCCI’s statement,” Rai added.
Whatever be Rai’s assertions, it is hardly a coincidence that SGFI was brought into the picture AFTER the BCCI clamped down on IJPL.
