From a list of 10 ‘good’ cricketers that were part of the Rajasthan Royals squad in 2015, only four – Ajinkya Rahane, Steven Smith, Dhawal Kulkarni and James Faulkner – are “available” for the Royals to pick from. Some other players like Shane Watson, Chris Morris, Sanju Samson, Tim Southee, Karun Nair and Ben Cutting, among others, moved to other franchises from 2016 onwards and therefore the Royals will not have the benefit of retaining any of them nor getting to use the right-to-match cards.
TOI spoke to two other franchises in the IPL to understand if they were satisfied with the governing council’s new player-retention policy and both franchises admitted that “Royals will be the only ones to suffer”.
BCCI had been working all along to ensure that all eight franchises of the IPL are given a similar platform to ensure that teams remain balanced and the competition remains healthy. To be fair to the Royals, sources in BCCI too admitted that “yes, they may probably see this as unfair but this is the only way it could be worked out. The GC has tried to be as fair as it could to all the franchises”.
In the backdrop of these new policies, the Royals may not settle for any retention or right-to-match and are now likely to go about putting an entirely fresh squad together. Kings XI Punjab, Delhi Daredevils and the Kolkata Knight Riders too may not be eager to retain except that the Shahrukh Khan-owned franchise will look to use the right-to-match cards and “negotiate” with their players.
Meanwhile, Chennai Super Kings will want back MS Dhoni and Washington Sundar from Rising Pune Supergiant along with Dwayne Bravo who was part of the Gujarat Lions squad but withdrew after an injury.
Royal Challengers Bangalore will retain their prized possessions that include Virat Kohli, AB de Villiers and Chris Gayle while Mumbai Indians, the only franchise to have won the IPL thrice, may look to hold back Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah while using the right-to-match cards for allrounder Kieron Pollard and the other Pandya brother, Krunal.
“MI can take the entire credit for players like Hardik and Jasprit prospering at the national level so they have all the reasons to retain these home-grown cricketers. Therefore, it’s a bit hard on Rajasthan Royals when they can’t do anything about getting back Sanju Samson. They’ve been among the franchises who’ve always worked on the principle of picking young talents and nurturing them,” say those associated with the IPL.
Saba next BCCI GM, Operations
Former India wicket-keeper-batsman Saba Karim, who also donned the commentator’s hat post retirement, will take over late MV Sridhar’s role as BCCI’s new General Manager, Operations. Karim, whose career was cut short abruptly in the year 2000, when he injured his right eye keeping to Anil Kumble during the Asia Cup at Dhaka, has been shortlisted from close to six CVs that had been submitted. The 50-year-old former player from Patna, who represented Jharkhand and Bengal in First Class cricket, will take up a role that requires constant monitoring of India’s vast cricket circuit, heading domestic as well as international operations and will report to BCCI CEO Rahul Johri.
Source : timesofindia
