Most franchises in favour of current format - Mallya

The BCCI has set up a three-man committee consisting of Sunil Gavaskar, Ravi Shastri and Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi to make recommendations to the board based on discussions with IPL team owners over several matters pertaining to the player auction later this year, and the undefined fourth edition of the tournament next year. Gavaskar, Shastri and Pataudi are all members of the IPL governing council.

The decision to set up the committee was taken at a meeting earlier today in Mumbai between interim IPL chairman Chirayu Amin and the franchise owners. Amin was meeting the owners for the first time since the suspension of Lalit Modi.

According to Vijay Mallya, the owner of Royal Challengers Bangalore, most of the owners expressed their desire to retain the current format of the tournament, with 94 games to be played on a home and away basis. The owners also suggested that all the players should go into the auction pool (no player retention) and that the salary cap be raised to US$9m from US$7 million.

"The franchises are of the view that the current format should be retained, with one home game and one away game. The three-man committee will take on board what all we've said, and take the appropriate steps," Mallya told reporters after the meeting.

When asked about the main issues discussed at the meeting, Mallya said: "One was regarding the players, whether they should be retained or dropped into an auction pool. The majority view of the franchisees is that all players should be put into the auction pool. Second was regarding the salary cap - most of us suggested a cap of US$9 million. [And the] format should not change. There should be home and away games even with two new teams." Mallya also confirmed that most franchise owners had approached him to be their spokesperson.

B Vanchi, a director of the GMR Group, which owns the Delhi Daredevils, said he was encouraged by the board's willingness to discuss all the concerns of the franchisees and that only an open dialogue could lead to a resolution. He also told reporters no official decisions would be taken until the three-man committee sent its recommendations to the BCCI. In the meantime, he expected there would be many more meetings between the owners and the board.

"They have constituted a three-member committee of Ravi Shastri, Sunil Gavaskar and Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, who will make suitable recommendations and there will be further discussions between the franchises and the BCCI on this issue," he said. "Suggestions have been taken on every issue: Player retention, auction, cap, squad cap, salary cap, everything. But all are suggestions flowing from our side to them and their side to us. Nothing is decided. There is still a lot of time."