Gavaskar is interim BCCI chief; IPL 7 to go on as scheduled

The Supreme Court, on Friday, suspended N Srinivasan from the Board of Control for Cricket in India and all its activities, and ordered former India captain Sunil Gavaskar to take over as interim president.

There was also good news for the Indian Premier League franchises and their players as the apex court ruled that Season 7 of the cash-rich Twenty20 tournament would be held scheduled.

- Also read: Sunil Gavaskar: From batting legend to BCCI supremo

The Court noted that Gavaskar, as interim BCCI president, will only manage all dealings related to the upcoming IPL season, and after the completion of the tournament, any of the BCCI vice-presidents, preferably the senior-most, can take over from him.

It also directed Shivlal Yadav, the senior-most vice-president of the BCCI, to look after the affairs of the board.

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Gavaskar now has the power to decide whether Sundar Raman, IPL CEO, can continue in his position or another person should take his place.

Among other important decisions on Friday, the Supreme Court asked Gavaskar to cut all contractual obligations with the BCCI with regard commentary since he is going to head the board.

However, it refused to pass any order over allowing Srinivasan to participate in activities concerning the International Cricket Council, where he is supposed to take over as chairman in July.

Except players and commentators, no other employee of India Cements or its subsidiary or associate companies can participate in any duties of the BCCI, it added.

A bench of justices A K Patnaik and F M Ibrahim Kalifulla, which had, on Thursday, proposed barring Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals from the IPL, refused to pass order in this regard allowing them to play the matches along with six other teams in the tournament, beginning April 16 in Dubai.

The bench also said that Gavaskar will have to get out of the contract with BCCI for commentary in order to discharge the duty assigned by the court. It also directed the BCCI to adequately compensate the veteran cricketer.

Meanwhile, the BCCI told the court that India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni has wrongly been vilified by the media after Thursday’s court proceedings in which ‘false allegations were levelled against him’.

The next hearing in the matter is on April 16, informed petitioner Aditya Verma outside the Supreme Court.