IPL 13: Franchises want full format and all players, says KKR CEO

The collective view of all franchises is that the Indian Premier League (IPL) format should not be tinkered with, allowing the full spread of foreign players to take part as usual whenever the cash-rich tournament is taking place, Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) CEO and Managing Director Venky Mysore said on Thursday.

The 13th edition of the IPL has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic which has brought the world to a standstill. There are talks of the high-profile league happening during the October-November window provided the T20 World Cup, slated to take place during that period, does not see the light of the day.

Due to the health crisis and subsequent travel restrictions, an IPL sans foreigners could be a possibility.

But Mysore, speaking during KKR's initiative to launch 'KKR Sahayata Vahan' which will cater to multiple locations across West Bengal and help distribute essential kits to people affected by Cyclone Amphan, said they strongly feel the quality of the product should not be tinkered with.

"I think it is without doubt that IPL as a product has become the biggest spectacle which has caught the imagination of not only India as a country but the world at large," Mysore told reporters via video conferencing.

"This has happened because of the combination of things that has made this phenomenon called IPL. Yes it's Indian Premier League, it is primarily our Indian players who are the backbone of any team, but I think we should recognise that when you look at our own team...when you look at a Sunil Narine, Andre Russell, Pat Cummins and Eoin Morgan...when these four come as a combination to our excellent line up that we have on the Indian side, that's what makes this product very very special.

"You can go through team by team and discuss along the same lines. So one thing that we feel strongly about is we should not tinker with the quality of the product that we have. And the quality of the product is what has made it really special.

"So from a KKR perspective I can tell you and the majority of the franchises...it is safe to say that the collective view is that we have to have the tournament in its full format, same number of games with all the players being part of it. And I would hope whichever window we are staging the IPL, we would be in a position to achieve that," added Mysore.

The KKR Sahayata Vahan is laden with essentials like food items and hygiene products which will be provided to people suffering the aftermath of the cyclone across the state. The vahan will move across some of the worst hit areas which include North and South 24 parganas and Medhinapur, the initiative is undertaken in collaboration with Zomato Feeding India.

"Thanks to technology we flagged off the #KKRsahaytavahan to distribute food & hygiene essentials to #amphan victims in the presence of the Hon Min #AroopBiswas & @DineshKarthik. Great spirit by #TeamKKR in making this happen," Mysore later tweeted.