We cricketers trusted IPL financial experts: Sunil Gavaskar

Breaking his silence on the controversy surrounding the Indian Premier League (IPL), former cricketer Sunil Gavaskar has said he and his other fellow cricketers had complete faith in financial experts in the committee.

In an article appearing in the ''Times of India'', Gavaskar expressed regret over the fact that he did not have much knowledge of financial and legal issues, so was unable to understand what was discussed in IPL meeting.

"Pity, we cricketers don''t have so much knowledge, for then we would have been able to understand a lot of the financial and legal issues that came up in council meetings. We cricketers looked at all the others who were knowledgeable about finance and trusted their expertise," Gavaskar writes.

"When it came to cricketing matters, they looked at us and when we talked cricket they nodded their heads too," he adds.

The third edition of the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL) tournament was embroiled in controversies, including allegations that former Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor was trying to influence franchisees.

Tharoor resigned from his post as a minister following a controversy between suspended Indian Premier League (IPL) Commissioner Lalit Modi and him over ownership details of the Kochi IPL franchise.

It was alleged that Tharoor had an indirect stake in the Kochi franchise.

IPL Commissioner Lalit Modi had also revealed on his Twitter feed that Tharoor had advised the IPL management against disclosing the name of Dubai-based businessperson Sunanda Pushkar.

Following the controversy, Tharoor resigned on April 18.

On April 20, Tharoor also requested the Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, to conduct a thorough investigation of the charges, while denying any wrongdoing.