MUMBAI:Even as Rajasthan Royals are looking forward to the new season in the Indian Premier League’s eighth edition, spot fixing demons from the 2013 season continue to haunt them. Royals’ mentor Rahul Dravid said there was a need for stronger vigilance and harsher punishments to reduce the threat.
“The IPL is a big tournament; it’s a popular tournament. It is attractive for sponsors, fans and television, which attracts unwanted elements. There needs to be greater vigilance and greater consquences for people who are proven guilty so that it deters others from repeating the offense. I have said this earlier -- spot fixing needs to be treated as a criminal offence.”
The Royals suffered the worst damage in the wake of the scandal. Three of Rajasthan Royals players -- S Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan -- were arrested by the Delhi police on charges of spot fixing and suspended from the team. Dravid said that his team and staff had been briefed by the IPL anti-corruption squad like all other teams in the tournament.
“We are taking all the precautions, but the fact is these unfortunate incidents have happened. It’s not good for IPL or India.”
Dravid, 42, believes it is a big advantage for his team to have four players from the World Cup winning squad. While most of players in the run up to the tournament have said that they are mentally prepared for the IPL despite coming off an intense World Cup, the former India captain admitted that getting his players in the “right space of mind” was a priority for him.
“I think we have to recognise that the World Cup is a tough event to be a part of. There are a lot of emotions involved. Though they are excited to be here and start a new IPL, they have had a long season. We need to recognise and manage that. That is why I was happy for Royals’ players to take as many days off as possible after the World Cup and didn’t really mind that they joined the squad later. They need to be in the right space of mind. At the same time, I expect them to be switched on, come game time.”
Though Rajasthan have traditionally been the underdogs of the tournament, they are ready to soak in the pressure of being one of the better teams this season.
“We have match winners all the way through,” said Watson. “It is exciting to be part of such a strong squad. The way it is scheduled this time, it is important to get off to a good start. Though the World Cup was a long tournament, the games were spaced out well so we could be fresh for every match.”
The Royals open their campaign against Kings XI Punjab in Pune on April 10 and will play their home matches in Ahmedabad and Mumbai.
