The suspension of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals is only a temporary setback to the IPl and the lodha Committee verdict will actually help restore people’s faith in the league, says Justice Mukul Mudgal, who headed the Committee which probed the IPl betting scam.
“This is a very strong punishment. I think it will have a good affect on IPl, BCCI and the players. Many people feel it will have an adverse affect on the game but I think this is a temporary setback and cricket will come out cleaner and people’s faith on IPl will be restored,” Mudgal said.
All the affected parties have the right to appeal against the verdict, but Mudgal felt there might not be many judges willing to overrule the lodha committee’s verdict. “If you read the Supreme Court’s order, in the last line says, this’ll be subject to any remedy in accordance with law. So challenge is available, the question is, when a committee comprising a former Chief Justice and two former Supreme Court judges gives a report, it is highly unlikely that a court will interfere in that verdict. I can’t rule it out. Theoretically it is possible,” he told Times Now.
‘We could have avoided this’
Former BCCI Secretary Niranjan Shah said BCCI could have avoided such a situation if it had taken proper action earlier on the matter. “I think BCCI took whatever action was to be taken although it was slow. They did not visualise that this would go to Supreme Court. We could have avoided this earlier, we have to take a lesson,” he said.
Former BCCI president AC Muthiah said, “Whatever has happened in BCCI, nobody stood up for the wrong doing. All these rules were already in place but they were done to suit individuals. I think, IPl should be kept alive and BCCI needs to distance itself from IPl. It should be run by an independent body comprising eminent people.”
Former BCCI chief Inderjit Singh Bindra also hailed the decision. “A historic and landmark order. Beginning of the process of cleansing Indian cricket. I do hope that BCCI learns the right lessons,” he wrote on his twitter handle.
Bindra also said that ICC Chairman N Srinivasan, father-in-law of Meiyappan, should also be put to task by BCCI for his role. “Srini is obviously guilty of protecting Guru and CSK. BCCI should take immediate action against him by withdrawing his nomination to ICC. NS (Srinivasan) has no moral authority to continue as head of ICC. He should step down immediately, failing which Board should take action,” he tweeted.
‘breath of fresh air’
The social networking site was abuzz with reactions from former players such as Sanjay Manjrekar and Bishan Bedi.
Manjrekar tweeted: “Whatever needs to be done to get complete trust of the fans in the game has to be done. Fans make or break this game.”
Bedi wrote: “Justice lodha committee after Justice Mudgal findings comes as breath of fresh air, but only just! There’s more muck for Cricket 2 breathe afresh!”
‘Tough to imagine IPl without Dhoni’
Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar admitted that “it will be tough” to imagine an IPl edition without MS Dhoni. “...that is going to be very tough. However, MSD is 34 years old and in a few years will be bidding good bye to international cricket. In any case, it will be tough to imagine an IPl without Dhoni.”
Gavaskar also said that the players of CSK and Rajasthan Royals “must be feeling terrible” at the moment but this is a judgement that cannot be taken lightly as three of the most eminent former Chief Justices of India have deliberated upon.
“I know the players of CSK and Royals must be feeling terrible at the moment, especially being singled out for no fault of theirs as somebody else has been at fault. Since already 3-4 guys have been suspended, they might feel let down but at the same time, when three former Chief Justices give a verdict, you cannot question their credibility and integrity,” Gavaskar told NDTV.
However, the legendary opener said that since the next IPl is at least eight months away, it would not be difficult for the BCCI to find two new teams.
“There is at least eight months for the next IPl. I feel that is enough time for the BCCI to have two new teams.”