IPL: We Are Simply Keen To Play, Says Rajasthan Royals Owner Manoj Badale

May 27, 2017 at 12:42 PM

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IPL: We Are Simply Keen To Play, Says Rajasthan Royals Owner Manoj Badale

After serving a two-year ban, Rajasthan Royals along with Chennai Super Kings are all set to make a comeback in the next edition of the Indian Premier League.

The Rajasthan-based outfit, which defied all the odds to win the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League, was one of the most exciting teams in the league. Apart from punching above their weight on a consistent basis, they had made a reputation of throwing up talented players.

The likes of Yusuf Pathan, Ravindra Jadeja, Deepak Hooda and Sanju Samson came to the fore only after their exploits for the Royals. But their exciting journey in the league came to a temporary halt when they were suspended in 2015 on corruption charges.

The two years were undoubtedly tough not only for the franchise owners but also for the fans. But the wait is finally going to end in 2018 and the franchise is desperate to make up for the two-year loss. The franchise will have to assemble their whole team in the next auction but they are ready for the challenging task.

Manoj Badale, Rajasthan Royals’ principal owner, in an interview with Sportstar, said that the franchise has already begun the preparation for the next season.

Speaking about the preparations, he said:

There are plenty of areas to work on. All stakeholders in the IPL need to remind themselves that we exist because of, and for, the fans. There are still great opportunities to improve the fan experience, both within stadia, and outside of match time. We have been thinking hard about that. Owners are simply shareholders and we are keen to develop greater separation between the shareholders and the professional management of the team — something we pioneered in the early years, but an area in which we need to develop further.”

The franchise will also have to rope in new backroom staff. When asked whether the team could bring in former members Rahul Dravid and Paddy Upton, Badale said that it was too early to talk about that.

“The return of players is outside of our control, as we will be subject to the rules of the player auction. It is too early to discuss support staff and it would be inappropriate to do so, given that many are currently performing with other franchises,” Badale explained.

Badale also said that the team is desperate to get into action without bothering too much about their home venue. The Royals did not play a single game at Jaipur in the 2014 edition and played all their home games in Ahmedabad.

In the following season too, they played four ‘home’ games in Ahmedabad and remaining three in Mumbai after the Rajasthan Cricket Association was suspended by BCCI.

“We have always made it clear that Jaipur is our home ground, but equally we have had to play almost as many ‘home’ games at other venues. Ahmedabad is a great venue, with a knowledgeable and passionate fan base. Having been out for two years, we are simply keen to play — irrespective of the venue,” Badale said.

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