IPL owners, cricketers express shock over sacking decision
The Indian Premier League governing council may have taken the decision to axe the franchises of Kings XI http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Punjab-c833 and Rajasthan Royals, but not everybody is happy. Most of the owners have either publicly or privately expressed dismay at the decision and hoped
for better sense to prevail.
Royal Challengers Bangalore’s owner, Vijay Mallya was clearly unimpressed with the decision when he commented on his Twitter account, “I wonder if the franchisees are serious stakeholders whose investments and participation are respected, or are they slaves
who only come and play.” Mallya has been known to be a close aide to former IPL chairman, Lalit Modi, who was suspended by the governing council as well.
One of the co-owners of the IPL, Raj Kundra, whose franchise, Rajasthan is one of those scrapped, said that he failed to understand the rationale behind the dismissal. Speaking to an Indian news channel, NDTV, he also added, “I am mulling legal options but
I am not sure whether we can have IPL 4 if teams are treated like this,”
What has also worried some of the franchise owners is the fact that if the two scrapped teams decide to take legal action, it could push the IPL auctions back. In turn, it could also push the tournament back. According to a cricket website, ESPNcricinfo, a
franchise owner said, “It adds to the uncertainty, which is bad for business.”
Not only the owners, but even cricketers associated with the tournament expressed surprise over the sacking. Shane Warne, who had captained http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Rajasthan-c837 in the first three seasons of the tournament said he hoped that the Indian board came to their senses, while
http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Adam-Gilchrist-c918, Deccan Chargers captain, said while commentating on the ongoing India-Australia match that it was a big shock.
IPL Pune, one of the two new teams in the tournament said that they were busy strategizing for the forthcoming auctions and had no comment to offer.
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