So is India safe to tour or is it just a media beat-up?

[Matt79]

I imagine any dispute between the players and the franchises will end in the courts - there it will be a matter of what was in their contracts, and whether the court agrees that the security situation is such that it would be onerous and unreasonable to hold them to their contract.

Deciding not to go probably will affect how highly the players in question are sought after for future iterations of the tournament, but that's the choice players need to make - they can't have their cake and eat it too.

 

[Matt79]

Plus only the earlier, less serious threat came from a group that have any interest in the support of the Indian population. The terrorist threat to the IPL, hockey and Comm games comes from a group that's already declared war on India and its people.

 

[Uppercut]

Two reasons: 1) The franchises are in a lot of trouble - three weeks to go and they have to scramble for replacement. Especially if another franchise has their overseas player come - you are not at a competitive disadvantage. 2) The threat of a ban may force more people to come.

I am not saying it's the right thing to do, but from a business PoV, that's what they'd be thinking. At the very least, IPL and the franchises will probably tell all the players who miss it this year that their price will be severely hurt next year, since this year the players who were available for the whole duration were the ones that got the bets bids. It also makes sense, these type of threats in India are not a one time thing (as you saw with Champions League cancellation and then the IPL move) - so they may not waste money on players whose availability is iffy at best every year.

Again, I am not saying it's the 'right' thing, but it's a business, and they're trying to create a product. You can't have this business where every year your best players may or may not pull out, and build any sort of a stable team.

Quite right too IMO, for once I agree with the IPL taking a hard line. If you're genuinely concerned about your safety then the loss of a few wads of cash won't deter you from staying away.

 

[Burgey]

You gave two important points.

But missed the two most important ones-

1)If they do not keep this threat ,it will be a easy way for contracted player to force his way out.For example any player who wants to do something else at that time can easily claim a "Security threat" and really there is no way of distinguishing as craig said a player who has genuine concerns about his safety (whether in reality that is the case or not), from a player who was sitting around the house then decided '**** it, I won't go this year.

2)There might be certain players who have larger security concerns than others.So if these players are not coming this year in face a threat from some unheard group,then there will in all probability be another such threat next year too from some unheard group(as they will have found a easy way to scare people away from India and cause damage),and in all probability they would not come next year too.So what is the point of having them in the auction and being uncertain about their participation.

Bollocks, frankly. If you think players wil "dream up" some security risk then you're wrong. There's a specific risk and threat which has been made against them and the tournament. Will be a shame, but hopefully they can satisfy everyone's (or most people's anyway) concerns and it can all go ahead.

 

[silentstriker]

Yea, if you don't go, you don't get paid. It makes no sense that players would just dream up security risks and choose not to get paid....

 

[Sir Alex]

I want the IPL to succeed more than ever now. Just as a statement against terrorism.

 

[Cevno]

Bollocks, frankly. If you think players wil "dream up" some security risk then you're wrong. There's a specific risk and threat which has been made against them and the tournament. Will be a shame, but hopefully they can satisfy everyone's (or most people's anyway) concerns and it can all go ahead.

Actually the point i was making was in response to Craig's point that it should be easy to differentiate between players who just want to skip this year's IPL for some other reason and those who are genuinely worried about the security.
My point was that if a player in the future and specifically this year,does not wants play one year due to any reason,he will always claim a security threat as the easy way out.I was not saying he will cook up terroris threat's as you imply.

Btw,That threat which was made this year was from a group which has no history whatsoever,and which even one australian and most american agencies find not credible.
And let me tell you if these threats deter the IPL from being held this year, after alst year,then u can expect these threats every year from terrorist and non-terrorise groups both seeking to harm India.This a very easy way in comparison.

I am fine with players not coming .It's their choice and if they feel insecure why would they come?
But you have to understand the IPl's( ,BCCI and Indian govt's ) concern too.And thus see the effects on player's future participation in the Ipl in that context.There is no point in contracting uncertain players.

 

[silentstriker]

I imagine any dispute between the players and the franchises will end in the courts - there it will be a matter of what was in their contracts, and whether the court agrees that the security situation is such that it would be onerous and unreasonable to hold them to their contract.

Deciding not to go probably will affect how highly the players in question are sought after for future iterations of the tournament, but that's the choice players need to make - they can't have their cake and eat it too.

It won't be in courts. The contract is explicit - you don't play for any reason (including injury, unless injury is sustained during the IPL), and you don't get paid. In terms of ban, it would apply after this year, where all contracts are up anyway, so there is no violation from either side.

Next year, there will be a new auction and all players will be available again (or that's the plan, they may not have an action, just a free for all where each individual player and his agent can negotiate with the various franchises). I probably prefer the auction rather the getting agents involved, but I can completely understand if a franchise wants to lock a player up long term and build the team around him, which is hindered by having to rebid for him every 2-3 years.

 

[G.I.Joe]

The auction is this July. Teams have the option of retaining upto 4 players.

 

[silentstriker]

The auction is this July. Teams have the option of retaining upto 4 players.

Interesting, where did you hear that? Retaining 4 players including Indian ones, or 4 overseas? And for how much? If a player got crap and did well in the IPL, he will still be paid his previous salary? That's unfair - teams will obviously keep the players who've performed above their contract and keep paying them crap.

 

[G.I.Joe]

Interesting, where did you hear that? Retaining 4 players including Indian ones, or 4 overseas? And for how much? If a player got crap and did well in the IPL, he will still be paid his previous salary? That's unfair - teams will obviously keep the players who've performed above their contract and keep paying them crap.

There was an article in the papers last month or so. Mentioned that teams could retain any 4 players, since most teams had built their entire campaign, marketing or otherwise, around a core group for the last 3 years. I can't recall if they meant 4 Indian players or just 4 players. Icon status would be scrapped, and salaries would be renegotiated with the retained players. The two new teams would be involved too, and to prevent player burnout from the extra matches to be played, the players would be capped at a maximum of 14 matches per season. That's very interesting, teams will need to figure out which matches to rest them for.

 

[Zinzan]

For me, the key thing point is that the players representatives from each overseas country do their own INDEPENDENT security assessment. Would be totally counter-productive to take the word of the Indian govt or any group affiliated with the IPL where an obvious conflict of interest (or invested interest) exist.

 

[asty80]

On topics such as these, it's always a no-win situation.
I would sympathise with anyone who is concerned about his security and doesnt go.
At the same time, I hope everyone goes.
I also hope that there are no incidents.

A terror threat in India is different from a terror threat in the US. Its much easier for the bad guys in India than in the US mainly because of the crowd control factor. In India, intelligence is your only realistic chance to nail them.

 

[AaronK]

IPL not moving out of India, Modi insists | Cricket News | Indian Premier League 2010 | Cricinfo.com

I don't know if anyone shared this.. but it will take place in India..

 

[Craig]

I would have no problem touring India, considering I want to go there myself, and I guess you just need to stay away from any politicial rallies or hot spots, but I won't can ever be 100% safe. If something is going to happen, it's going to happen, and if I thought like that, then I wouldn't get out of bed.

 

[Zinzan]

I would have no problem touring India, considering I want to go there myself, and I guess you just need to stay away from any politicial rallies or hot spots, but I won't can ever be 100% safe. If something is going to happen, it's going to happen, and if I thought like that, then I wouldn't get out of bed.

That's all good & well, however the IPL games could well be one of those 'hot-spot's' you refer to if there is any truth to this intelligence we're hearing about.

You can bet your bottom dollar that most overseas players would prefer it to be played in SA or England if the Interview with NZ players association member Heath Mills was anything to go by.

 

[jeevan]

The journalist who delivered this message (uncorroborated btw) appears to be quite a big fan boy of this particular terrorist. Very poor form to use reverential adjectives like 'legendary' for such criminals.

Asia Times Online :: South Asia news, business and economy from India and Pakistan

Also check his own description of himself, likes looking at himself in the mirror:
http://www.atimes.com/atimes/others/syed.html

Pains me that such people get to influence our actions (the terrorist and the journalist).

 

[Craig]

That's all good & well, however the IPL games could well be one of those 'hot-spot's' you refer to if there is any truth to this intelligence we're hearing about.

You can bet your bottom dollar that most overseas players would prefer it to be played in SA or England if the Interview with NZ players association member Heath Mills was anything to go by.

I give my perspective as an armchair fan, but I'm not a professional cricketer, so maybe my views would be different. So for those that are not Indian, would you have no problem touring India? I know what SS might say, but he's an ex-pat and knows the place a lot better then what I do.

 

[Sanz]

Egos will be hurt. We've seen how well India copes with perceived slights over the violence here in Melbourne.

Don't confuse some nutcases in Indian media with the whole of India. Yes there will be mass hysteria in the media, but in general people in India are going to be okay.

 

[honestbharani]

RSA are here and they seem just fine. We had England over here just after the Mumbai attacks and they were fine... Why is there suddenly a question mark? Just because Shiv Sena and a few other nutcases said so?