The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is all set to welcome two of its oldest franchises – the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) and Rajasthan Royals (RR) on the very same day when they release the “Invitation to Tender” (ITT) for the rights. CSK and RR were suspended from the Indian Premier League (IPL) by the the Supreme Court after a match-fixing scandal erupted in the year 2013. The former champions were suspended from the tournament for two seasons- 2016 & 2017.
According to reports, the Chennai Super Kings are making a grand preparation for their return to the IPL and are in the middle of finalizing events for their return around their massive fan base. Former Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who served as the captain of the franchise in all their eight seasons at the league will probably return to serve as the skipper for the CSK.
Meanwhile, the Rajasthan Royals management is in talks with a leading corporate for a possible stake sale. The team is expected to return to the league with a new (co) owner. The franchise has started cleaning a lot of concerns that surround the current ownership, with co-owner Suresh Chellaram’s share of 49% in the Royals setup.
The report suggests that a leading franchise from the North is in the final round of talks with a corporate that has major interests in the sports industry down south.
The tournament could well go into the 2018 season on a completely fresh note, after the controversies that surrounded the Supreme Court appointed Committee of Administrators, who now have the complete control over the daily administration.
