BCCI working committee lifts ban on ICL players

MUMBAI: The Indian cricket board has decided to offer amnesty to players in the rebel Indian Cricket League but has added a stern rider it said these cricketers could return to the mainstream fold provided they sever all ties with ICL by May 31.
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The decision, taken at BCCI's working committee meeting on Wednesday, also adds the condition that the players will have to serve a one-year cooling off period before being eligible for international cricket.They can, however, play official domestic cricket.
"The players are like our family members. Most of these players and support staff approached us asking to be allowed to return. They made some mistakes but they can still come back,'' BCCI president Shashank Manohar announced after the meeting at the Cricket Centre.
The ICL too reacted positively on its part issuing a statement from their business head Himanshu Mody which said, "The ICL management has decided not to renew the contracts of some of the ICL players and support staff that have expired. As cricket professionals they are free to decide and explore their options.''
While the deal may sound straight but it may still not be so simple for the 70-odd Indian players who signed up with ICL in July-August 2007.
Almost all players have a three-year contract, renewable after the first two years. Effectively, most of the contracts will end only in July-August 2009. With BCCI setting the cut-off date for their return at May 31, it will still be difficult for these players to exit from the ICL fold.
While ICL seemed open to the idea of players deserting them, a few players informed TOI that they have been asked to obtain no objection certificates from the ICL before entering into any new contract. The communique also asked the players to be ready for a tournament.
India ODI player Rohan Gavaskar, now with ICL, welcomed the move but refused to comment on how players would make the shift. "It's a positive step from BCCI. I'm sure that a lot of players will take it as a welcome gesture.''
He agreed that the players will need to study the legal implications (if any) before deciding on the call. "There will be contractual obligations to be fulfilled but it's better to have a choice than have no options at all,'' he said.
Punjab player Reetinder Singh Sodhi, holidaying in Shimla, said, "I have heard about it but don't exactly know how it works. I will look into it once I return home in a day or two.''
Madhya Pradesh batsman Abbas Ali, grandson of former India captain Syed Mushtaq Ali, too felt that the time to decide on the amnesty was too less. "To be honest, the time given for players to move is tight. But hopefully good things will emerge out of this for all of us,'' he said.
Mumbai-based Railways Ranji player Shreyas Khanolkar, who is now with ICL, also welcomed the news but said BCCI had given too little time for players to decide.
The ICL was launched in June 2007 by Essel group (owners of Zee Television) but was refused recognition by BCCI. The ICL's executive board is headed by former India captain Kapil Dev and also includes former 1983 World Cup stars Sandeep Patil and Madan Lal besides former India wicketkeeper Kiran More.
The call to allow ICL players represent their respective national teams gained momentum after the International Cricket Council (ICC) at its meeting in Dubai on April 18, stressed the "importance of protecting the fabric of the game'' asking the cricket boards to consider the case of players desirous of playing for their countries.
The ICC, however, left the decision to individual boards to determine the sanction for any player returning from the ICL.
Interestingly, Cricket New Zealand has differed with the BCCI on the cooling off period of one year, saying it was too long. Banned Kiwi players Shane Bond and Daryl Tuffey may return to the national fold as early as August for the Sri Lanka tour.
The BCCI decision has come less than two weeks after the ICC rejected the ICL's bid for official recognition.