Stop playing favourites, Warne tells BCCI

MELBOURNE - Shane Warne believes the Indian cricket board is “playing favourites” with influential bigger city teams in the Indian Premier League (IPL) like Mumbai, Chennai, Kolkata and Delhi and treating low-key Rajasthan Royals and King’s XI Punjab unfairly.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) suspended Rajasthan Royals and King’s XI Punjab from the IPL for violating ownership norms. However, the move is seen as having more to do with the two teams’ proximity to the sacked IPL chairman and commissioner Lalit Modi than the ownership norms.

Warne says the Royals and King’s XI were victimised as part of a sinister move and wants the BCCI to desist from playing favourites.

“With the IPL exceeding all expectations, on all fronts, I find it staggering that the IPL has decided to throw 2 teams out… Why?” Warne wrote on his blog.

“Is it because the franchises have done something wrong or is there something sinister behind it? Is there an ulterior motive?” he asked.

“To me the IPL must be transparent, open, honest, and, above all, fair to all teams! They need to treat them equally; no teacher’s pets!!!!!!”

Warne has hinted that Royals were victims of their closeness to Modi and also that they were able to perform so well without any big names backing them. Their only motive was to encourage promising cricketers.

“Our owners went into owning a franchise with the betterment of Indian cricket in mind. They built a team of young, promising local talent and recruited a couple of us senior international players to mould them into a team,” Warne said.

“We entered the first year as complete underdogs. People were suggesting we wouldn’t even win a game! But we built a great culture and the young guys came on in leaps and bounds and we ended up winning the title!”

“It was an amazing achievement. I am sure no-one in the squad will forget the feeling, we were all so proud of each other. I would have to rate it right near the top of all my cricketing experiences and achievements.”

“From that squad, several international careers were launched, and that is what domestic cricket is all about,” Warne noted.

“How can anyone say the Royals haven’t got cricket’s best interests at heart!”