Volley of questions: What happens to teams, players

As the RM lodha committee announced its decision to ban Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals from participating in the Indian Premier league (IPl) for a period of two years, the most obvious question that came to everyone’s mind was “what will happen to the playersIJ” It will be odd to see the IPl without the players like MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Ajinkya Rahane, Ravichandran Ashwin and Ravindra Jadeja who have contributed hugely in 

making the Twenty20 league so popular.

However, as per the ruling, the punishment is served specifically against the owners — India Cements and Jaipur IPl Cricket Private ltd — of the Chennai Super Kings and Royals, not the teams and players. It means that the owners can’t field a team for two years but there is no restriction on the players.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), which owns the IPl, is free to auction the two franchises to other prospective buyers or float two new franchises and put the players into the auction pool where they can be picked by the two franchises.

It is the concern that is shared by many. It will be a big financial loss to these players if they aren’t allowed to play for two seasons. The players of the two franchises aren’t involved in any wrongdoing and to keep them away from such a big tournament with any fault of theirs is against natural justice.

Though it may cause some financial losses to some of the players but, as Justice lodha said, the game is bigger than the individuals. 

When he was asked whether the committee took a considered view of the impact this ruling will have on the players attached with the two suspended franchises, Justice lodha said, “Players will not be attached to a franchisee which has been suspended. We thought that if cricket is bigger than individuals then financial loss to players and franchises is not of significance.”