The new 'Power Player' concept is expected to be discussed at the IPL Governing Council meeting in Mumbai on October 5, but a section of the Board of Control for Cricket in India feel that the concept has been formulated to favour “one particular high-profile franchise comprising veteran players”.
'Power Player' will allow each IPL team to have 15 players in the team instead of the usual 11 members. The team can substitute a player at the fall of a wicket or at the end of an over at any point in the match. The concept, if implemented, can have game-changing consequences.
It has been learnt that a senior executive of the IPL operations team prepared the note on 'Power Player' few months ago with an intention to do away with traditional playing XI.
However, a BCCI official questioned the motive behind the concept. “There is one particular team which needs a bit of cushion during 2020 IPL with the average age of its core players being 35 plus. Has the IPL operations guy, who prepared the concept note, kept that particular franchise in mind?"
For the past two seasons, the average age of the Mahendra Singh Dhoni-led Chennai Super Kings has been hovering around the 35-mark. Though CSK won the title in 2018 and ended up as runners-up, both coach Stephen Fleming and Dhoni had admitted that theirs was an “ageing squad”.
The 'Power Player' concept would allow impact players to be used in short bursts during the match.
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"The final call will rest with the BCCI president [Sourav Ganguly],” a senior BCCI functionary told PTI on conditions of anonymity. “He will certainly discuss with the IPL Governing Council including chairman Brijesh Patel and other office bearers but a lot of factors needs to be taken into account".
While Ganguly was unavailable for a comment, a source close to the president said that there is a lot of scepticism to introduce this concept which could basically change the grammar of cricket.
A section among IPL operations team wants to push the envelope and introduce the concept during Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy (National T20 Tournament) starting November 9.
"Nothing has been decided yet. Also with four days left for Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy to begin, can this concept see light of the day as yet? We don't know yet," the source said.
The other question that has cropped up is how the anti-corruption unit will be able to handle the bookie-fixer menace in case of such a rule change?
"These kind of random player substitutions could mean that bookies and match fixers will be working overtime. Guess the BCCI president will factor it in that also," he said.
(With PTI inputs)
