Even a shortened IPL with just Indian players would be good enough in these “extraordinary times”, Rajasthan Royals Executive Chairman Ranjit Barthakur said on Wednesday, revealing that a final call on the glitzy event’s fate is unlikely before April 15.
The top executive spelt out his franchise’s wish even as the number of positive cases and death toll due to the pandemic continued to rise across the world.
“We are open to a shortened tournament with only Indian players, at the end of the day it is the Indian Premier League,” Barthakur said.
With a nationwide lockdown in place to combat the spread of the disease, the event seems unlikely to go ahead unless the BCCI figures an alternate window later in the year.
The RR executive though said they are confident that the Board will take a decision keeping in mind the best interests of the franchises.
“These are extraordinary times and the BCCI will do the best it can when things improve,” he said.
“Earlier we could not think of an Indians-only IPL but now there is enough quality to choose from. It is better to have an Indians-only IPL than not at all.
“When can we have it? That BCCI decides. And I think that call be taken only post 15th April,” Barthakur added.