Just ahead of the beginning of the IPL 2020, the top star players will be involved in the All-Star game. However, the franchises are wary of this match.
After the recent IPL Governing Council meeting, the BCCI President Sourav Ganguly revealed that an All-Star match is going to be introduced just ahead of IPL 2020.
According to media reports, one team will have the IPL players from north and east zone teams (Kings XI Punjab, Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders) and another team will be formed with the IPL players of west and south zone teams (Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Sunrisers Hyderabad).
However, the franchises are not ok with this game. They have multiple reasons why they can’t support this special game. One of the reasons is the commercial purpose.
A franchise owner recently told TOI, “Commercially, we are not okay if players don’t wear our jersey (regardless of an All-Star game).”
A player will have to miss out on team bonding exercises: One franchise talked about All-Star game
While the franchises have short-time to create bonding in the team ahead of the beginning of an IPL season, the All-Star game can affect it hugely.
Another franchise owner pointed out, “Sharing a player just days or a week before the start of the IPL doesn’t make sense. There are injury risks involved. A player will have to miss out on team bonding exercises and travel that much more. There’s only that much time that players — who arrive from all over the world — get to bond with each other before the start of the tournament. It doesn’t make sense.”
Recently, it was confirmed that the IPL 2020 would run between 29th March and 24th May 2020. However, the final schedule hasn’t been out yet.
On the other hand, the board meeting of the International Cricket Council (ICC) will begin in the last week of March. BCCI secretary Jay Shah is likely to present in that meeting as he is India’s CEC representative at the ICC.
According to a recent TOI report, once the BCCI confirms their representative at the ICC meetings, the board will have to look again on the opening date of IPL 2020.
On 13th February, the BCCI will organise the Apex Council meeting in Ahmedabad. In this meeting, the board members will discuss the multiple issues. Some of these are the IPL, Asian Cricket Council (ACC), All-Stars game, bringing a new IPL franchise etc.