Keep under-20 players out of IPL: Pandove

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) treasurer M P Pandove on Sunday advocated a ban on the Indian Premier League (IPL) after-match parties and suggested that under-20 players be kept out of the event as the glamour is distracting them from pursuing cricket seriously.

Pandove also said franchisees should ensure that the contracted players have the consent of the state associations to play in the IPL.

"My concern is about the conduct of non-cricketing activities during the IPL. The late night parties with cricketers participating certainly goes a long way to dilute their performance," Pandove, who is also an IPL Governing Council member, said.

"They need full rest and good sleep during the night to maintain the fitness and energy level to excel in a competitive game," Pandove said in a statement.

The franchise owners being film stars and corporate bigwigs, Pandove said late-night parties may not be a big deal for them but they do affect a player's body-clock.

"As a matter of fact the film world has a different culture and work ethos. Because of the disturbances by the crazy fans they prefer to work in the night and sleep by the day. Their body clock is set that way.

"But indulging in late night parties the players get their body clock upset which is dangerous for the game," he said.

Pandove said players who participated in the IPL were "found wanting in the fitness and endurance level during the recent four-day matches of the Punjab Championships.

"IPL needs to be reshaped to the extent that no franchisee should be allowed to hold late night parties where players are involved. They may be allowed to hold one get together during the tournament as is done in case of visiting teams during bilateral tours," Pandove suggested.

"No franchisee should be allowed to sign a player less than 20 years of age," he added.

Pandove said it should be made "mandatory for the franchisees to take the consent of the state cricket associations before signing players.

"It has been seen that youngsters are not pursuing their regular cricket seriously which hampers the interests of the state cricket associations who have to take part in the National Championships," he explained.

Pandove said that IPL should not be treated as a light and sound show as it tends to inculcate "deteriorating trends in the players cricketing skills career."

"All said and done there needs to be a proper balance between the cricketing and non-cricketing activities to generate funds and hold public interest for the success of the venture."

On the financial scandals being faced by the IPL, Pandove said, "I would like to make it clear to everybody that the role of the Treasurer of the Board (a position that I am holding) is to see that payments are made and received as per the guidelines laid by the Finance Committee, the Working Committee and the IPL Governing Council."

"As a matter of fact the Marketing Committee/the office Bearers of the Board finalise the Contracts and Honorary Secretary/ Honorary Treasurer issue invoices accordingly. The Treasurer makes the payments in accordance with the approved budgets by Finance/Working Committee," he said.

"All bills that are paid are sanctioned by the Secretary. The Treasurer is one of the 13 members of the IPL Governing Council," he added.