NEW DELHI, March 28 (PTI): With the Supreme Court deciding not to bar Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals from participating in the IPL, a relieved BCCI today said the interim order was �acceptable� to it and will take necessary steps for its implementation.
The Supreme Court today ordered that Gavaskar should be made the interim president for managing affairs of IPL, while the senior most vice-president �Shivlal Yadav � should take care of the non-IPL affairs of the BCCI.
Hailing the Supreme Court�s decision not to suspend Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals from playing in IPL 7, BCCI vice president Rajeev Shukla said the order was in the best interest of the game and cricket fans.
�We have no objection to the Supreme Court order. The BCCI lawyers have also said that the order is acceptable. Even Mr Srinivasan had said through the lawyers that he is willing to step aside and after that what court decides will be acceptable to him,� Shukla said.
�The good thing is that all eight teams will play in this year�s IPL. IPL will go on and there will be no hindrance.�
BCCI secretary Sanjay Patel, who is part of the IPL governing council, said that BCCI already has a set up in place for running the IPL and the only question that needed to be sorted out was IPL COO Sundar Raman�s role.
�The only issue is whether Gavaskar would like the services of Sundar Raman. That is what the court stated today,� Patel said. He said he would be meeting Gavaskar soon to work out a plan.
Gavaskar on his part, he was honoured to be given the responsibility and he will �give it his best shot� while discharging duties.
�I am deeply humbled and honoured that the Honourable Supreme Court of India has entrusted me with the job of being the Interim president of the BCCI till the end of IPL 7. Like with my cricket, I will give it my best shot,� Gavaskar said in a statement.
Shivlal Yadav, who will look after all non-IPL affairs of the BCCI, has also vowed to give his best.
�I am quite happy to hear the news that I will be looking after cricket affairs after the IPL. I will try to do my best,� he said.
Yadav, however, refused to comment anything on the scandal-hit IPL.
�I don�t want to talk about it as the Supreme Court has given specific order that the IPL part will be with Gavaskar.�
There was some uncertainty about Srinivasan�s status in the wake of Apex Court�s interim order. The Tamil Nadu strongman has continued to remain mum on the developments in the last few days and it was no different today. A top BCCI official said that Srinivasan has stepped aside from the day to day functioning of the Board and it will be up to Gavaskar and Yadav to take up the responsibility till the pendency of the betting and spot-fixing case.
�Right now, this is the situation. More clarity may emerge when the final order comes,� the official said.
Former India captain and team manager Chandu Borde also hailed the Supreme Court�s decision.
�I think this decision will improve the image of cricket, thanks to the Supreme Court,� he said.
�I am happy to learn that Shivlal Yadav will look after the president�s role because he has experience of cricket administration. He is the secretary of Hyderabad Cricket Association and knows how the BCCI functions.
�Gavaskar doesn�t take decisions in haste. During his playing days he took many a challenges and responsibilities. I think he will fulfil this responsibility with aplomb,� added the former chairman of selectors.
Former BCCI vice-president and Secretary Niranjan Shah said that if the court had decided to suspend the two teams it would have been difficult to hold the IPL this year.
�There was some uncertainty because two days back, the Court was considering suspending CSK and RR which would have made it difficult for IPL to go on. They have shown some leniency today and allowed the teams to take part,� he said.
Shah also said that it was a mistake to allow Srinivasan to have owned a team in the IPL.
�At that time nobody thought that such a situation would arise. On hindsight, it looks like we made a mistake. We can�t say what will happen in the future,� he said. Union Minister and JKCA President Farooq Abdullah said Srinivasan will clear his name in the inquiry and return as BCCI president.
�I have already said Srinivasan is an honourable man. When court ordered that he should step down till inquiry is completed, I had then also said he would step down. And honestly I think that when the inquiry is completed Srinivasan will be cleared and he will return as BCCI president,� he said.
Unrecognised Cricket Association of Bihar (CAB) secretary Aditya Verma, the petitioner in the case related to IPL corruption scandal, too was satisfied with the Supreme Court�s order.
�I am very happy with the Supreme Court�s verdict. Now I am waiting for the final verdict,� he said. �It is good that one of the finest batsman and a legendary player like Gavaskar will handle IPl affairs.
�I am not against IPL. Being a cricketer myself I want cricket should not suffer and the league should go on,� Verma said.
However, former BCCI treasurer Ajay Shirke believed the interim order was a �mild one� and it gave Srinivasan another lifeline.
Asked whether Srinivasan was given another life, Shirke said, �Yes definitely because earlier the Supreme Court had made strong observations and compared to those observations this order I would say is a very mild one.� �What I would like to see going forward is that BCCI really getting their act together and completely clean up cricket,� he said.
