IPL scandal: Hussey nails Srinivasan’s lie on Gurunath

In his new book, Underneath The Southern Cross, Chennai Super Kings and former Australia batsman Michael Hussey has said that BCCI president N Srinivasan had ceded control of the team to his son-in-law and betting accused, Gurunath Meiyappan. “Our owner was Indian Cements, headed by Mr Srinivasan,” Hussey has written according to a report on ESPNCricinfo. 

“As he was also on the board of the BCCI, he gave control of the team to his son-in-law Mr Gurunath. He ran the team along with Kepler Wessels, who was coach.” In May this year, BCCI president N Srinivasan had said that his son-in-law Gurunath Meiyappan was simply a “young [cricket] enthusiast” who associated with the team, while an India Cements press release had said that Meiyappan was not team principal as he claimed on his Twitter account, but merely an honorary member of CSK team management. 

Hussey has said that Srinivasan has ceded control to Gurunath. AFP It turns out the honorary member had full control of the team — complete access to team related news and more. It may not be on paper — much like Lalit Modi’s manner of working and there may be no evidence — but it seems odd that no one in the BCCI sought to verify Srinivasan’s claims regarding Gurunath by speaking to CSK players. Surely, the players could have enlightened the administrators.

 Meiyappan had been an active participant at team auctions since 2009 and given interviews to the press as team principal. Rajiv Shukla, the then IPL chairman, had even sent an e-mail meant for the annual team owners workshop to Meiyappan. Hussey’s revelations come even as the Supreme Court of India is hearing a matter related specifically to Gurunath and how his relation of N Srinivasan makes his illegible to head the BCCI. The next hearing of the case is on October 7. 

Indeed, Ranjib Biswal, the new IPL Chairman, should be heading over to Srinivasan and asking him some very tough questions right about now. As things stand, Srinivasan is in breach of the IPL’s Rule 11.3, Clause (C), which allows for the termination of a franchise in the event ‘the Franchisee, any Franchisee Group Company and/or any Owner acts in any way which has a material adverse effect upon the reputation or standing of the League, BCCI/IPL, BCCI, the Franchisee, the Team (or any other team in the League) and/or the game of cricket.’ Hussey has already retired from international and the latest revelation may see him out of a contract or at least gagged from any future media interactions.

Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/sports/ipl-scandal-hussey-nails-srinivasans-lie-on-gurunath-1144515.html?utm_source=ref_article