#360view: Supreme Court has given Indian cricket chance to rebuild

Ajit Vijaykumar 09:15 15/07/2015
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  • Steve Smith and MS Dhoni were captains of Rajasthan and Chennai in IPL.

    The cosy ecosystem that had been created within Indian cricket and the IPL has finally been shattered and we can all thank the Supreme Court of India for taking it upon itself to clean up the mess that was left behind in the aftermath of the 2013 spot fixing scandal.

    That the franchises of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals had to be suspended was clear from the day Gurunath Meiyappan, the then top official of the Super Kings, and Raj Kundra, former co-owner of the Royals, were found guilty of being involved in illegal betting last year.

    However, since the BCCI’s own panel that looked into the saga had given both a clean chit a year before, it was up to the Supreme Court-appointed panel to take a stand. And what a stand it took.

    Many thought that since ‘big’ teams like the Super Kings and Royals were involved, the RM Lodha panel won’t take any drastic measures. Well, so much for that notion.

    There are moments in history when tough decisions simply have to be taken.

    Indian cricket missed its first opportunity at the start of the century following the implication of captain Mohammad Azharuddin in the match-fixing scandal.

    Nothing was done to reach the bottom of the problem and ensure no future players fall in the fixing trap. Instead, Indian cricket simply appointed Sourav Ganguly as the new captain and moved on.

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    But not this time. With big teams like Super Kings and Royals suspended for two years, which is effectively a death sentence since the brand will vanish, Indian cricket and the IPL has been given a chance to start afresh. 

    The BCCI and IPL management now know that if a high ranking official like Meiyappan, who is the son-in-law of former BCCI president and Super Kings owner N Srinivasan, can be taken down and barred from cricketing activities for life then nobody is beyond reproach.

    What is of greater significance is the action taken on the franchises.

    The Super Kings and Royals are two of the most iconic teams. Rajasthan won the inaugural edition with Shane Warne leading a bunch of spirited youngsters to glory. Chennai are one of the most successful teams in IPL, winning the title twice and ending up as runners-up four times.

    Big players like Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Ravindra Jadeja, Dwayne Bravo, Shane Watson and Ajinkya Rahane have almost become synonymous with the franchises.

    With the teams now barred for two years, the IPL won’t be the same. It’s a massive blow to its image but this is not the time for sentiment.

    The biggest stakeholders in the game – fans and sponsors – will have a tough time accepting the new scenario.

    Some might even part ways for a while. But it is for the betterment of Indian cricket. A clear message has been sent out to those involved with the game that indiscretions will not be tolerated and those caught will face punishment, even if it fundamentally alters the facade of Indian cricket.

    What matters now is how the BCCI and IPL management make sure that corrupt practices are never again allowed to seep into the functioning of the IPL.

    From here on, the BCCI should take a tough stand against malpractices at the top level, which it has clearly failed to do, and not wait for a court to do its dirty work. Maybe then we can hope of enjoying an IPL that is completely clean.

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