IPL Governing Council meet: Anurag Thakur-Ajay Shirke want CSK, RR scrapped; Rajiv Shukla-Ravi Shastri say no

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According to sources, former Test captain and GC member Ravi Shastri suggested that the BCCI could consider putting CSK skipper M S Dhoni and RR mentor Rahul Dravid in charge of their respective franchises in the interim period. But Shirke reportedly shot down the suggestion, citing media reports that Dhoni had misinformed the Mudgal committee probing the IPL spot-fixing case, last year.
“Shirke was dead against this suggestion. ‘Have your read the Mudgal report? See what he said about Gurunath Meiyappan,’ he told Ravi,” said a source. The source added that Shastri argued against the idea of terminating the two franchises.

“He argued that CSK was a big name and had a big reputation. Terminating them would hamper the image of the league and the BCCI. He also said that the future of players was at stake. Shirke said the argument did not stand, and asked Ravi where he was when the contracts of the Pune and Kochi franchises were terminated,” said the source. Shirke reportedly pointed out that the players could play for any other team, and termination of franchises wouldn’t hamper their careers.

Backing their recommendation on the BCCI taking over the running of the two franchises, IPL chief Rajiv Shukla and BCCI treasurer Anirudh Chaudhary reportedly suggested that the board could hire the services of global consultancy giants KPMG or Deloitte to manage them. They said the BCCI could pay them fees to avoid conflict of interest, according to sources.

However, many members, including Shirke, felt that conflict of interest could not be avoided even if KPMG was to be involved. Their opinion was seconded by Usha Nath Banerjee, BCCI’s legal advisor who was present at the meeting.

All the members agreed that the BCCI would have to find a way to ensure that the IPL consisted of a minimum of eight teams, so as to avoid any legal hassles regarding the broadcasting agreement. Those in favour of termination felt the best option was to include two new franchises by inviting fresh tenders. And in case there was no termination, the IPL would become a 10-team league in 2018, when CSK and RR would return from their respective suspensions.

However, IPL COO Sundar Raman is learnt to have opposed the idea of 10 teams, insisting that it would lead to logistical problems with the BCCI having to host 94 matches per season.

“Sundar Raman said having 10 teams wasn’t feasible. But Shirke reminded him that that he was in charge of affairs when the IPL successfully conducted a season with 10 teams in 2011, and asked him why his stand had changed now. He also said there was a time when there were suggestions of making it a 12-team tournament, so why the reluctance now,” said the source.

The final decision on the two franchises will now depend on the working group. Shukla said he would name the members of this working group on Monday, after a meeting with Thakur. “The house has entrusted me with the responsibility to make a small group that will take six weeks to submit a report as to how we implement the order and pave the way forward for the IPL,” said Shukla after the meeting.