What he said:
We were taken for a ride. I know we cannot plead before you that we did not know all this was happening. Your question would be, were you not vigilant? What did you do? I am sorry, sir, there is no defence for me. No defence in front of you. So, I am not pleading that at all. We just put our heads down.
N Srinivasan, BCCI Secretary and owner of Chennai Super Kings (CSK), claims that he and his colleagues were hoodwinked by ex-IPL commissioner Lalit Modi.
His remarks were made to Parliament’s Standing Committee on finance when it was discovered that all cheques were signed by Srinivasan—then treasurer— and his successor, MP Pandove.
What he really meant:
“So what if I’m MD of India Cements. Lalit Modi outsmarted us. Believe us, we’re innocents.”
What he definitely didn’t:
“The IPL Governing Council was farcical.”
Television viewer’s interest plummeted, ticket sales tapered off and there was a jaded, sleazy feeling to the largest sporting extravaganza on the Indian sub-continent.
MUMBAI—
In response to Pune Warriors India and Kochi Tuskers Kerala’s complaints that they have lost approximately 25% of expected revenue owing to a reduction in the number of games played in the IPL, the governing council decided to increase the number of games by four in next year’s edition.
In addition to the playoffs for the top four spots in the competition, there will be play-offs for the wooden spoon.
The glaring error made by television broadcasters while replaying different camera views of a referred Sachin Tendulkar dismissal in the IPL has prompted tournament CEO, Sundar Raman, to propose a unique, innovative solution.
Every time an appeal against the master batsman is referred to the third umpire, the replayed feed will be telecast to television viewers prior to the third umpire.
Viewers will be provided a number to text where they will vote on whether the batsman is out or not.
That Poonam Pandey enjoys flirting with danger was well evident in her offer to do the Full Monty if Team India won the World Cup.
Despite receiving threatening calls and recovering from kidney stone removal surgery, the model intends to keep her word.
As if to make up for her hardships, Akshaye Kumar has offered her a chance to appear on his dare-devil television show for ladies “Khatron Ke Khiladi”.
There are more rumbles within the IPL.
The franchisees are not all pleased with the auctions. Though teams have largely grabbed the players they short-listed, the team owners feel that they should have a say in the appointment of curators and groundsmen especially at their home venues.
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The dust has settled on the IPL auctions.The players have been bought (or not).The teams have been formed (or not). The franchises are happy (or not).
The rumour mills ,however, have been overactive.
Among the numerous reports floating around, these are the more salient ones:
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For the BCCI, it has not been a good week, by any standards. Their No. 1 Test side has floundered in the series that could decide who has bragging rights.
But it’s the two setbacks in the Mumbai High Court that will set the agenda this weekend when the working committee meets.
The BCCI are undecided how to tackle the adverse rulings against them in the court cases against the Rajasthan Royals and Kings XI Punjab.
Should they pursue the matter further all the way to the Supreme Court? Or should they let laying dogs lie?
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My dog, Bolshoi , the Boxer, is quite peeved with me.
How do I know that?
Well, for one, he keeps giving me these dirty looks, looks that would have you believe that I am going to eat up everything that is laid in his name-plated bowl.
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The Kochi consortium have no glad tidings for even their most die-hard supporters. The investors in the franchise have struck the death blow ,communicating their inability to work together to the BCCI. The IPL Governing Council meet on November 28, 2010 to perform the last rites. The Gaikwads refused to play ball with the other investors leading to the current impasse.The Kerala Cricket Association (KCA) are the sole believers in a miraculous turnaround.