Haroon Logart: South African players will continue participating in IPL only if India confirm South Africa tour
Getty Images
The Cricket South Africa chief Haroon Logart has tried to take advantage of BCCI's recent position with the ICC with the former requesting the BCCI to confirm India's South Africa tour later this year, following which the South African players will continue participating in the ongoing IPL 2017.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India has been under great pressure since the last few months. After being subjected to a change in the revenue model of the ICC that is going to cost BCCI dearly, it was the Pakistan Cricket Board who demanded compensation for breaching of a Memorandum Of Understanding(MOU) between the two boards.Ā
Following the same trend, Haroon Logart tried to assert his request over the weak looking BCCI when he wrote a letter to the BCCI CEO Rahul Johri requesting him to confirm India's tour of South Africa starting with the Boxing day Test, in return for which the South African players will continue playing in the ongoing IPL.
JohriĀ confirmed receiving the letter and stated that the BCCI would reply at their convenience.Ā
"I didn't even bother to communicate. We will communicate when the time is right," Johri told TOI.
LogartĀ took an obstinateĀ stand of not allowing the players to continue with their IPL campaign this season and recalled all the South Africans to join their national squad for a series against England.Ā
The Cricket South Africa expects the Indian team to tour South Africa in December keeping the profitable Boxing day Test in mind but the BCCI has not made any official announcement regarding the tour yet. Sources from the BCCI say "India could tour South Africa in January".
The BCCI has been entangled in such controversial issues recently and it would be interesting to see how the richest and most powerful cricket board handles the ever-increasing pressure.
