Doubts Over IPL All-Star Game As Franchises Not Willing To Release Players: Report

It would not be at all wrong to state that the fans are keenly waiting for the All-Star game ahead of the upcoming season of Indian Premier League (IPL). The rivals sharing the dressing room together for the one-off game is going to be a big spectacle.

Earlier this month, BCCI president Sourav Ganguly had confirmed that the star-studded game would take place ahead of the main tournament. Players will be picked from all the eight franchises to form two teams. According to reports, the teams will be divided on the basis of region. The four franchises from North and East India will form one team while the other four franchises from South and West India will form the other team.

Also Read: Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni & Rohit Sharma To Play Together As It Is North & East vs South & West In All-Star IPL Game

Doubt over the game:

While the BCCI and IPL governing council have already announced the game and the fans are excited for it, the franchises might prove to be roadblocks. According to a report in The Times of India, the franchises are not keen to share their players just before the tournament.

The report claimed that there are cricket and commercial reasons involved for the franchises to say no to an All-Star game before the tournament. Some franchises are also worried over the star players picking up injuries in the game.

“Commercially, we are not okay if players don’t wear our jersey (regardless of an All-Star game),” a franchise owner told the news outlet.

Another franchise said “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.”

With the franchises not keen on releasing their players for the exhibition match, the BCCI may push the All-Star game to be held post IPL.