IPL schedule is not related to Lodha Panel: Shukla

‘I am sure we will be able to put across our views to the committee.’

IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla on Saturday said that the scheduling of the league has not been related to Lodha Pnael recommendations about having a 15-day gap between start of the cash-rich league and India's national calender.

The IPL is scheduled to begin on April 9 this year but if India play the final of the World T20 on April 3, it will be a straightaway violation in case the recommendations are implemented in toto.

"IPL scheduling has nothing to do with Lodha recommendations. We are going ahead with our schedule and everything," Shukla told reporters during the IPL auctions.

IPL's Chief Operating Officer Ratnakar Shetty said: "I am sure that when we prepare the schedule for the season, there are several factors that are taken into account and the best possible window that are available to BCCI for the IPL is concerned. ‘

“I am sure we will be able to put across our views to the committee."

Replying to another query, Shukla said the mushrooming cricket leagues across the globe, are no match to the IPL.

"No league is near to IPL. So let them run their leagues, but I don't think they can really compete with IPL and match with it," he said.

"Everybody is entitled to launch its own league, we can't prevent them, but IPL stand alone is doing very well, and as I said before IPL 9 will be bigger than the previous editions," he said.

Shukla said IPL will grow further even as BCCI is adding new elements to it including increasing live telecast to many more countries.

"IPL will grow further. It will have its own mark throughout the world. We are adding new elements to it. We are going to increase our telecast to many more countries," he added.

Image: IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla.

Photograph: BCCI