2nd innings: Kapil, Gavaskar in face-off
23 Aug, 2007, 0222 hrs IST,Sonali Krishna, TNN
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/2nd_innings_Kapil_Gavaskar_in_face-off/articleshow/2302389.cmsMUMBAI: This is one rivalry that will not die in a hurry. Kapil Dev’s miscued shot in a crucial Test match against England in Delhi in the 1980s cost India the match and the series, and stoked a famous rivalry with Sunil Gavaskar.
After wiping out a deficit of 111, India were comfortably placed at 128 for 2 and needed to just play out the last day for a draw. A series of rash shots (Kapil Dev included) saw them bowled out for 235, leaving England an easy target of 124. A furious Gavaskar, back as captain after a spell in the wilderness, took out his anger on his famous all-rounder, dropping him for the next match at Calcutta.
Nearly 23 years later, cricket aficionados are likely to get a taste of that battle once again. This time around, it will be played out in boardrooms, backroom strategy sessions, and team bunkers. Not on the Oval Maidan.
Stung by the stunning response to Subhash Chandra’s Indian Cricket League (ICL), the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is planning to float a rival league of its own, complete with international players, high-profile sponsorships and high-voltage excitement.
And the person most likely to head it will be Sunil Gavaskar. BCCI’s league is tipped to be called the Professional Cricket League (PCL), which will follow the same format as the Premier Hockey League.
The teams will be a mix of members of the Indian national cricket team, upcoming Indian domestic players as well as some international cricket stars. The game format followed will be 20:20.
Here’s how it’s going to work: Each cricket association will float a team that will be a heady mix of domestic, national and international players. Each team will have a sponsor, who will be roped in for a five-year contract, which will aid in financing the building of the league. The whole package will be offered for bidding to broadcasters, who will host the Professional Cricket League.
The dramatic move only heightens the ongoing tussle between the BCCI and the Subhash Chandra-promoted Indian Cricket League (ICL). With Gavaskar backing the Board’s official league, the rivalry between him and the ICL chairman Kapil Dev looks set to be renewed once again.
“I cannot currently comment on the matter. Work is in progress, and when things firm up, we will make an official announcement,” Lalit Modi, vice president, BCCI, said. Sunil Gavaskar did not reply to an email seeking comment. The BCCI’s logic is clear. To unlock value out of domestic cricket, which in the past it has not focused on, and at the same time, try and nip Mr Chandra’s moves in the bud.
“We already have the infrastructure in place, and the fact that we are BCCI will give us a much better negotiating stand with international players and boards, to sign up with us,” says a BCCI insider. The plan is expected to be ready in the next three months.
AuthorTopic: Sunil Gavaskar v/s Kapil Dev (Read 961 times)
