While the IPL commissioner Lalit Modi has categorically stated that the $5-million cap on players for the IPL teams will remain intact, there is a growing debate within BCCI on whether the cap should actually be eased.
IPL franchisees are learnt to be putting pressure on IPL officials to remove the cap to enable them to buy players to better their respective teams for the next season.
Team owners have already started meeting foreign players and are in negotiation for the second season. Vijay Mallya is tipped to be in conversation with English batsman Kevin Pieterson to get him on board for the second season and has offered him about $2 million for the same. RIL-owned Mumbai franchisee is learnt to be in conversation with all-rounder Andrew Flintoff for the second season. However, none of these negotiations will translate into anything if the player cap is not lifted or at least increased. However, when contacted, Mr Mallya said: “I’m in Paris and am not talking cricket right now.”
IPL insiders said that the debate on whether the player’s cap should be upped is currently under the scanner, considering the demand from franchise owners.
The IPL governing council has scheduled a meeting for the same in July, where a decision will be taken. BCCI insiders told ET that in all probability the salary cap will not be lifted, but will be increased so as to allow some amount of player trading and purchase for the next season. Repeated attempts to contact Mr Modi yielded no response.
Source: http://economictimes.indiatimes.com
