Indian Cricket League Vs BCCI

The battle between the BCCI and the Zee group-backed ICL is getting more interesting than the Cricket itself. The BCCI is suitably miffed at the cricketers that have signed up for the ICL and this was evident from the latest brickbat from the BCCI, this time from the President Mr Sharad Pawar himself:

“Not many people are interested in watching retired players in action. Everyone wants to see official cricket, not the oldies. I see no reason for young players going there. Only those who play official cricket can represent India.”

Yeah, right! Try telling that to the domestic players who have been slogging it out for a place in the Indian eleven only to be left out. And who would not want to watch Brian Lara play his trademark shots? That said, the ICL sleuths has not been having a great time either. Kapil Dev, ICL’s Chairman, had to eat his own words when Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne denied having signed up for the league.

Personally, I don’t have much expectation from the league and I doubt Zee’s ability to promote the thing. But it will become really interesting if it does well since it will challenge BCCI’s monopoly over Indian Cricket. Maintaining its tradition of greediness,the BCCI has already announced that any young player joining ICL will not be considered for the India cap. I feel this move will not work for long if ICL succeeds. Therefore, BCCI will have to come up with some more innovative moves to suppress the competition, which I am sure it will. Till then, may the brickbats continue!