BCCI unwilling to yield on TNPL stance

The BCCI has reaffirmed its decision to prohibit the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) from allowing players of other states to take part in the second TNPL Twenty20 league. Earlier last week, the Board asked the TNCA to confirm that no player from other States and/or outstation players (players who represent any team other than Tamil Nadu in BCCI Domestic Tournaments) have been included in the player draft (for 2017 TNPL T20).

Apart from BCCI, the Maharashtra Cricket Association has also made it clear that their state players will not take part in TNPL. The association did not grant a No Objection Certificate (NOC) for Maharashtra batsman Rahul Tripathi. Tripathi eventually had to withdraw his name. The TNPL’s flagship season was a big success with the second season scheduled to kick off on July 22.

Speaking about the ongoing debate, Justice B.N Srikrishna said, “There is also no substance in the contention that the decisions of the Working Committee are contrary to Rule 28 of the BCCI Constitution and therefore, not binding. Far from being contrary to Rule 28, the Working Committee decisions are, in my opinion, perfectly consistent with Rule 28 (B) in the exercise of its discretion not to grant permission pursuant to a consistent policy and practice adopted by in its Working Committee decisions,’’ he was quoted by Sportstarlive as saying.

BCCI emphasised the following points

Since every one of the players in the draft had enlisted with the TNCA, they can’t be considered to be outstation players inside the general meaning of the term. The term `outstation player’ regarding the competitions led by different individuals from the BCCI is not characterised and subsequently unregulated

In any occasion, the past measures taken after by the BCCI in regard of the Karnataka Premier League (KPL) and Goa Premier League (GPL) is ultra vires and in opposition to control 28 of the BCCI Constitution and is therefore not official.