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Essel cricket: Himanshu Mody gives details of plans for rebel Twenty20 league
THE Indian company looking to create a rebel Twenty20 league has revealed details of its plans that could shake up cricket’s world order.
Reports over the past week said Indian billionaire Subhash Chandra, owner of giant media conglomerate The Essel Group, was plotting a competition that would rival the Indian Premier League, while simultaneously expanding cricket to untapped markets such as China and the US.
There were also rumours of decade-long contracts worth $50 million being drawn up to target Australian stars such as Michael Clarke and David Warner.
However until Thursday there had been no official confirmation of exactly what this breakaway organisation would look like.
Subhash Chandra’s plans remain slightly mysterious. Source: Getty Images
In an interview with the Times of India Himanshu Mody, Essel’s head of finance and strategy, outlined the specifics of the proposed T20 competition – and it appears he’s learned of Essel’s previous cricket venture, the doomed Indian Cricket League.
“The format for what we are building will be the T20 format, home and away games, across 10-12 cities,” Mody told the Times of India.
“We are not looking at a short time frame. It could be a year away or even a little more.
“We know the timing is right but we are equally aware of the pitfalls where BCCI can hit us and are much wiser today.”
The ICL ended in 2009, less than two years after its inception, amid accusations of corruption and missed player payments after the IPL was hastily set up by the BCCI to re-establish its authority. There are allegedly almost $2 million in unpaid wages still owed, including to Australian players.
Australians Jason Gillespie (C) and Damien Martyn (R) in action in the ICL in 2008. Source: News Limited
The chief architect of the IPL was Lalit Modi, who has since been banned for life by the BCCI. Modi was rumoured to be involved with the latest Essel plan but last week told the Guardian he opted not to take part as he didn’t think it was achievable.
One of Modi’s chief concerns was the logistic challenge of hiring grounds to play at, but Essel’s Mody didn’t believe this would be an issue.
“Besides the right time … the two main ingredients are players and grounds,” Mody said.
“We had four grounds in India during ICL and players. We got players even from Pakistan, so I do not see both as a problem at all.
“On the grounds front, during ICL, we fell short with just four grounds in four cities. Also, we learned we needed eight to 10 teams. So, this time round, we will have to ensure we have more grounds.”
Many of the early reports on Chandra’s proposed breakaway suggested he was planning a global Twenty20 league but for now it appears his early plans are restricted to India.
However internet domain names have been registered in most cricket-playing countries, including Australia, while websites such as worldcricketcouncil.co.in have been registered by Essel employees.
http://www.news.com.au/sport/cricke...-twenty20-league/story-fndpt0dy-1227341646862
THE Indian company looking to create a rebel Twenty20 league has revealed details of its plans that could shake up cricket’s world order.
Reports over the past week said Indian billionaire Subhash Chandra, owner of giant media conglomerate The Essel Group, was plotting a competition that would rival the Indian Premier League, while simultaneously expanding cricket to untapped markets such as China and the US.
There were also rumours of decade-long contracts worth $50 million being drawn up to target Australian stars such as Michael Clarke and David Warner.
However until Thursday there had been no official confirmation of exactly what this breakaway organisation would look like.
Subhash Chandra’s plans remain slightly mysterious. Source: Getty Images
In an interview with the Times of India Himanshu Mody, Essel’s head of finance and strategy, outlined the specifics of the proposed T20 competition – and it appears he’s learned of Essel’s previous cricket venture, the doomed Indian Cricket League.
“The format for what we are building will be the T20 format, home and away games, across 10-12 cities,” Mody told the Times of India.
“We are not looking at a short time frame. It could be a year away or even a little more.
“We know the timing is right but we are equally aware of the pitfalls where BCCI can hit us and are much wiser today.”
The ICL ended in 2009, less than two years after its inception, amid accusations of corruption and missed player payments after the IPL was hastily set up by the BCCI to re-establish its authority. There are allegedly almost $2 million in unpaid wages still owed, including to Australian players.
Australians Jason Gillespie (C) and Damien Martyn (R) in action in the ICL in 2008. Source: News Limited
The chief architect of the IPL was Lalit Modi, who has since been banned for life by the BCCI. Modi was rumoured to be involved with the latest Essel plan but last week told the Guardian he opted not to take part as he didn’t think it was achievable.
One of Modi’s chief concerns was the logistic challenge of hiring grounds to play at, but Essel’s Mody didn’t believe this would be an issue.
“Besides the right time … the two main ingredients are players and grounds,” Mody said.
“We had four grounds in India during ICL and players. We got players even from Pakistan, so I do not see both as a problem at all.
“On the grounds front, during ICL, we fell short with just four grounds in four cities. Also, we learned we needed eight to 10 teams. So, this time round, we will have to ensure we have more grounds.”
Many of the early reports on Chandra’s proposed breakaway suggested he was planning a global Twenty20 league but for now it appears his early plans are restricted to India.
However internet domain names have been registered in most cricket-playing countries, including Australia, while websites such as worldcricketcouncil.co.in have been registered by Essel employees.
http://www.news.com.au/sport/cricke...-twenty20-league/story-fndpt0dy-1227341646862
