Stand-off between IPL players, franchises

Mumbai, Feb 25: It seems the Indian Premier League's (IPL) controversies refuse to die down. Another scandal of sorts has erupted following an impasse between the managements of the various franchises and their respective contracted players. The players have decided to play hard-ball and refuse to endorse brands associated with the franchises. They have backed up their refusal with a claim of conflict of interest, saying that they are already promoting brands separately and these rival those of the franchise-associated brands.

In light of the tense situation, the IPL Governing Council will hold a General Body meeting tomorrow. They will discuss at length whether the players are obliged to promote the franchises' brands in addition to those stemming from their independent contracts.

The IPL's GC will also discuss the transfer of uncapped player Manish Pandey from his original team - Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) - to the Sahara Pune Warriors. Pandey's move is being viewed as a contravention of IPL rules for uncapped players. Pandey was reportedly disappointed at being left out of the IPL player auction owing to his uncapped status and having to settle for a minimal salary of Rs 20 Lakh. But Pune had offered him a higher cut, prompting him to make the shift.