Deccan Chargers players start leaving sinking ship

The migration has started. Even as the Deccan Chargers are getting increasingly mired in legal setbacks, their players have started deserting the side. As of Friday, when the Supreme Court refused to stay its termination, most players had informed the team management that they were not willing to renew their contracts.

Not that by sticking to the team, the players would achieve anything, but the development has only compounded the franchise’s woes. The owners did make an attempt to keep the flock together. They have tried to coax, coerce and cajole them but without much success.

“For me, it is all over. We no longer belong to the team. We’ve got our money and on October 31, we will be formally separated,” said an India player.

The franchise, evidently, has not lost hope. In a recent letter (which is in possession of this paper) to a player, the team said, “...while the issue pertaining to the termination is being considered by the arbitral tribunal, the same cannot amount to a termination of your contract as you still remain bound under the contract executed by you with Deccan Chargers...”

The letter, evidently a reply to the player’s notice on termination of the contract, further said, “You have incorrectly recorded in the said notice that since the BCCI has terminated our franchise right, the contractual arrangement between you and us cease to exist...”

The letter also said, “... (sic) if in spite of this letter/email, you decide to adopt any action as mentioned in your notice, it would only entitle us to adopt such action either civil or criminal as we may be advised, entirely at your own risk as to costs and consequences, which may please be noted.”

When contacted, a DC official refused to comment on the letter, the players’ issue or the team’s next move.

There were 32 players, including nine foreigners, on the DC roaster. Now that the team does not exist, most of them, if not all, are likely to be transferred to the new team that will be auctioned on October 25. “We’ve full confidence in the BCCI and we’re sure that it will find us a suitable replacement,” said a DC player.

Meanwhile, the BCCI has said that all the dues of the DC players have been cleared. “The BCCI wishes to clarify that all players dues for the last season have been met in respect of players who represented Deccan Chargers in IPL 2012,” the board said in a statement.

SC rejects plea: The Supreme Court on Friday refused to stay the termination of the Hyderabad team, paving the way for filling its slot by fresh auction on October 25. The apex court declined to interfere with the Bombay high court decision which had set aside the status quo order passed by an arbitrator on cessation of its membership in the league, PTI reported.