Ian Chappell warns Big Bash League to vet overseas players to avoid 'importing' corruption

Former Australian captain Ian Chappell has said that the Australian Twenty20 tournament, the Big Bash League (BBL) needs to carefully vet their overseas contracted players in order to avoid importing corruption.

Chappell's comments came following the spot-fixing controversy enveloping the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL), in which three Indian cricketers of the Rajasthan Royals franchise, including Test paceman S.Sreesanth, were charged with the crime.

According to News.com.au, Chappell said that the consequences for the BBL is uncertain after the spot-fixing scandal, adding that although the controversy was not unexpected, it was unwelcome because even if India may be able to withstand few more such blows but not Australia or rest of the world.

According to Chappell, although the average Indian fan has long been sceptical about the integrity of the game and will not be much alarmed at the controversy, however, Australia has a much smaller and less forgiving population and cannot afford to be complacent.

Fearing that game may have to endure many more corruption scandals before suffering irreversible damage, Chappell said that although he was not shocked by the IPL spot fixing news, he was surprised that it happened under the able watch of Royals captain Rahul Dravid, who enjoys widespread respect for his integrity and achievements.

Stating that the fact that players under Dravid's captaincy indulging in alleged spot fixing highlights the magnitude of the problem cricket is facing, Chappell said that despite a number of arrests and convictions, cricket has had little success in bringing to book any of the culprits.

The cricket legend further said that he believes that the game needs a cricket solution to corruption along with a legal one, adding that if cricket relies solely on proving the guilt of these miscreants in a court of law the problem will never be eradicated and eventually the game will lose all credibility.

Chappell also said that India should not be left alone to face the crime as this is an international cricket problem and requires input and vigilance from all nations, including Australia, to eradicate corruption.