Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals will return to Indian Premier League fold from next year. CSK and RR were banned from IPL for two seasons each after some of their team owners were charged for corruption by the Supreme Court.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India said on Friday that CSK and RR, both past winners of the popular Twenty20 championship, will be back in the IPL’s 2018 version.
Rising Pune Supergiant and the Gujarat Lions had replaced Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals in the eight-team championship. It is not clear whether Rising Pune Supergiant and Gujarat Lions will continue to feature in IPL. There will be fresh auctions next year.
IPL chairman Rajeev Shukla said: “It is my privilege to welcome back Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, into the 11th edition of the IPL.
CSK and RR were banned after a Supreme Court panel found a section of the team owners indulging in betting. On the basis of the recommendation made by the RM Lodha panel, the two teams were banned for two years.
DHONI IN FOCUS
According to George John, one of the directors of Chennai Super Kings Cricket Limited, which runs the team, “the ban is officially over. It is good that we are back. As far as possible we will try to retain the players and support staff we had.”
About the team’s marquee player M S Dhoni, who led CSK since the inception of IPL in 2008, John said, “We have to see what the BCCI has to offer. If there is an option of retaining of a player, it would be him (Dhoni.)”
“We haven’t spoken to Dhoni yet as his contract with Pune ends later this year. However, we will speak to him as and when we make our plans for the next season,” he added.
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