The IPL will only happen if it is safe to play: BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal

The COVID-19 pandemic has thrown all the scheduled in the cricketing world haywire. The BCCI, despite being one of the richest cricketing bodies in the world has not remained immune to its wrath. With a constant rise in the number of cases in India, any form of cricketing activity seems to be quite a distance off. The Indian Premier League, which is a major source of income for the BCCI, has also been delayed with no clear future in sight. Speaking to Cricbuzz, BCCI treasurer Arun Dhumal elucidated on what the future holds for Indian cricket.

Dhumal was pessimistic about the IPL having a window if the ICC World T20 and the Asia Cup go ahead as planned. Asked if the BCCI will take part in the Asia cup, he said, “That is a call the Asian Cricket Council has to take, and for all the participating countries if whether traveling to play Asia Cup is safe. So once we are able to take feelers from all these countries, only then it will happen. As of now, international travel is not there, so we are not sure if we will be able to travel or not, or if it would be safe.”

Asked if the BCCI would compromise some of the fixtures on their tour of Australia in exchange for the IPL being held later in the year, Dhumal replied in the negative. “No, that is part of the FTP [Future Tours Programme]. There is no way we can think of not abiding by the FTP and organizing the IPL. We are committed to taking care of all FTP. In case the World Cup doesn't happen only then we have the opportunity of staging the IPL,” he said. 

Dhumal reemphasized BCCI’s stance that cricket will only resume once the conditions in the country are safe enough. “We have always reiterated that if the conditions are safe enough for the players to go for the tournament, only then will the BCCI take a call. We haven't announced any tournament. As of now, the official statement from the BCCI is that it is indefinitely postponed. The only statement of the BCCI is that we will explore the possibility and safety of our players will be the prime concern. If it is safe for our players to go, only then we will go. We have never said that we can compromise on the safety and health of our players.

BCCI has often been viewed as financially oriented to the extent that money has become synonymous with its identity, carrying a negative connotation with it. Dhumal was quick to retort on the matter, highlighting the positive influence of the money Indian cricket draws. “The IPL will only happen if it is safe to play. What do you expect - for how long should the players be out of touch with the game? There has to be some cricket that has to resume. This whole talk that IPL is a money-making machine, so be it. Who takes that money? That money goes to the players, that money doesn't go to any office bearers. That money goes to the welfare of the nation, the travel and tourism industry, in terms of industries being revived, in terms of taxes being paid. So why opposition for the money? Money is paid to the players and all those people who are there to organize the tournament. Media has to change the stance and tell about the benefit of this tournament that is happening. If BCCI is paying thousands of crores in taxes, it is going in nation-building, it is not going to Mr. Sourav Ganguly or Mr. Jay Shah or myself. Right? So you should be happy if money is being made rather than money being spent on sports.

“In case the money is being made, we should be happy about it because that money goes as taxes which helps the government come with welfare schemes. That money goes to the players who make their career with cricket. That money goes for the creation of infrastructure that will create jobs. You should be happy. If you want to be a global economy, you should be happy about making money through these tournaments. Why should we be sad about the money being made, right?” he added.

Dhumal also said that a call will be taken on the Chinese sponsorship issue in the next meeting of the IPL GC. He, however, refused to comment on the future of the Nike sponsorship which comes to an end in September 2020, and any renewal or a new sponsorship deal is expected to fetch less revenue amidst a stumbling market.

[Cricbuzz inputs]