Sunil Narine and KKR's threat to pull out of IPL

Muttiah Muralitharan. Harbhajan Singh. Saeed Ajmal. Pragyan Ojha, and more recently, Sunil Narine. The contentious issue of chucking dates back to as early as 1898, when in a match between Australia and England, the Australian Ernie Jones was called for throwing a ball. As the game becomes more competitive, who to call and who not to has become one of the major talking points. Add to this, the political layers that govern Cricket in modern times, there’s potentially a potboiler in store.

The news lately is about an IPL franchise threatening to pull out of the competition because of the BCCI refusing to allow its premium off-spinner from playing in the cash rich league. Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) has seen it all. From the lows of the Buchanan-Ganguly era, to the highs of being crowned champions in 2012. But one thing they can’t fathom is the fact that one of their most important strike weapons is being taken away from them.

Sunil Narine has been Kolkata’s most effective bowler, ever since he made his IPL debut for the Shah Rukh Khan owned franchise in 2012. In 56 matches, Narine has picked up 85 wickets at an average of 14.69. Alarmingly for other teams, these wickets have come at an economy rate of 5.7. So effectively, in every game, Narine gives away just 22 runs in his four over spell and picks up one wicket at least. When you compare Narine’s figures with the second highest wicket taker for KKR, Jacques Kallis is a distant second with 48 wickets at 29 apiece. Now why would anyone want to let Narine go?

Right throughout the last two decades, there’ve been the odd instances when bowlers have been reported. Muttiah Muralitharan was subject to a harrowing experience Down Under when he was called repeatedly. The Sri Lankan offie’s career was stalled briefly till he cleared a zillion tests and got back into action. Similarly, in 2005, Harbhajan Singh was reported for the third time in his career, during a Test match in Kolkata. While, ten years ago, the us versus them argument often found favour amongst sympathizers of the Asian bloc, and amongst those who thought that they were being treated unfairly by stronger powers. 2015 throws open whole new layers altogether. Two of the staunchest opposers of the Asian bloc are now hand in glove with the Indian cricket board. So an us versus them syndrome is totally out of the window. But what is indeed being analyzed here is the broader issue of conflict of interest.

Story so far

In September 2014, Narine was first called while bowling a quicker delivery during a Champions League T20 league game against the Dolphins. It was baffling that he had survived the entirety of the IPL, with that very delivery being one of his go-to options. Subsequently, he was reported for a second time during the same tournament, in the semi-final match against the Hobart Hurricanes. That eventually led to his ban and an automatic ouster from the playing XI for the final against Chennai Super Kings (CSK). CSK’s reach in the higher echelons of Indian cricket was a well-known fact. And fast forward to April 2015, the KKR team management is crying foul.

In the period between September and now, Narine underwent rigorous tests at the ICC testing centre in Loughborough to get his action cleared. Although the ban that had been applied was just applicable in BCCI organised tournaments, the West Indies Cricket Board did not want to take any risks. Narine wasn’t considered for the one-day tour to India, and later on, when news spread that Saeed Ajmal had been banned from bowling in international cricket, months before the World Cup, Narine pulled himself out of World Cup reckoning fearing the repercussions of an ICC ban. Soon after, Narine’s remodelled action got the clearance from the ICC testing centre in Loughborough, but drama awaited some five and a half hours away.

Kolkata Knight Riders bowler Sunil Narine celebrates with the teammates

KKR and BCCI dilemma

The BCCI citing their rules, that suggest that a bowler in question has to get himself checked by BCCI & ICC accredited testing centre at the Sri Ramachandra Medical College in Chennai, stalled Narine’s clearance to play in the upcoming season of the IPL. The move has ensured that conspiracy theories that insinuate this move being done in order to weaken the Knight Riders is doing the rounds. When one of the major power brokers of the BCCI and world cricket owns a team in the IPL, the rumours get further fuelled. KKR on their part have hinted that they might pull out of IPL 8 (and explore legal their options) if Narine isn’t allowed to take part in the tournament, citing that Narine had undergone all the remodelling that was required and had already gotten a green signal from an ICC approved testing centre. The team management is firm on its stand that a second test in Chennai is unneeded and uncalled for.

Indian cricket in recent times, has come down strongly against what they call ‘suspect action’. India Test player, Pragyan Ojha was only recently cleared after he had to serve a ban for an exceeded flex in his elbow at the time of delivery. The final call on the Narine issue rests now solely with the current BCCI chief, and Kolkata-based businessman, Jagmohan Dalmiya. If KKR are eventually to pull out, it will cause huge embarrassment to the BCCI, that is already reeling under the pressures of a tainted image. Add to that the fact, that KKR are one of the more prominent and popular brands of the Indian Premier League – if a just call isn’t taken soon, the BCCI cash books might just get a beating. On the positive side, Narine can resume his international career as he has been cleared by the ICC. Now it’s up to the BCCI.