15-day window between IPL, domestic calendar not possible: Anurag Thakur

The Indian cricket board stands to lose crores of rupees if the retired Justice RM Lodha panel's recommendation to keep a 15-day gap between the Indian Premier League and the domestic calendar was implemented, board president Anurag Thakur said here on Sunday.

Addressing the launch of the book "India 500 Tests" by the magazine Sportstar, Thakur said IPL could not be held in such a scenario.

"If you look at the overall IPL calendar then IPL would not be possible that way. Are you going to lose 100s of crores of Rupees?," he said during an interaction with assembled guests.

Averring that a part of the money earned by the board is paid to past cricketers, he said a purse of over Rs 110 crore has been distributed among cricketers of the past.

"India cricket will stand to lose if you wind up the IPL because of the International calendars. A 15-day window is not possible as of today if you have both IPL and the Test calendar to go on."

He regretted that Board of Control for Cricket in India could not start its domestic season from the birthday of Mahatma Gandhi because of the Lodha panel's recommendation about the 15-day window.

Thakur said the BCCI would consider holding of day/night Tests and hosting Tests in small centres after the 13-Test home calendar.

--IANS

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