Fixing clouds hover over IPL auctions: Cricketnext

New Delhi: After a series of controversies, the Indian Premier League (IPL) seems to be embracing another one, and may be the most astonishing as well, as now it is learnt that the players' auctions of the cash-rich event were fixed.

CNN-IBN has accessed e-mails that suggest Chennai Super Kings' owner and BCCI Secretary N Srinivasan could have been involved in ensuring specific players for the Chennai franchise in unison with suspended IPL chairman Lalit Modi.

The news has also raised some serious questions over the authenticity of the auction that took place in 2009 as it is learnt that Srinivasan tried to fix the bid of England all-rounder Andrew Flintoff in his favour.

A question is raised; were the two big-wigs of Indian cricket were involved in fixing certain aspects of the IPL before their fall-out?

Just two days before the 2009 IPL auction, Lalit Modi wrote to Srinivasan, assuring him that he had convinced the Rajasthan Royals and their captain Shane Warne not to bid for Flintoff.

Modi wrote - "What a nightmare to convince them not to terminate Tanveer and also not to take Flintoff. Warne went of the handle. But have managed it by using stick and carrot strategy. Thus they have 1.875 million dollars only. Much love Lalit."

To which Srinivasan replied on the same day: "Thanks. You are most sweet. Srini"

Two days later, Flintoff was bought by the Chennai Super Kings for a whopping $ 1.55 million, making him the IPL's most expensive player, alongside Kevin Pietersen.

Captain of Rajasthan Royals Shane Warne said he was unaware of any such incident.

"I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about. We at the Royals would never ever do anything like that. Sorry I couldn't be of any assistance," Warne said when contacted.

Chennai Super Kings had denied any suggestions of player fixing, but their response though doesn't seem to clarify reason behind sharing of e-mails between Srinivasan and Modi ahead of the auction.

"The mail really talks about Pakistan's players, how they will be treated and all, and it also talks about how they convinced Rajasthan Royals into the things," Rakesh Singh, Joint President Marketing, India Cements Ltd. said.

And things don't stop with Flintoff's bidding. At the 2010 auction, Srinivasan's Chennai Super Kings bid ferociously for big-hitting West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard, losing him in the tie-breaker to the Mumbai Indians. But CNN-IBN now has documents that suggest that, as secretary of the BCCI, Srinivasan then tried to prevent Mumbai Indians from actually playing Pollard.

Rajeev Shukla, the Vice-President of the BCCI, declined to comment on the issue. "I am not aware of the issue. You should ask Srinivasan regarding this," he said.

Meanwhile, former president of the Board A C Muthiah said Srinivasan should step down from his post. "He should resign, otherwise the BCCI should take action against him," he said.

The revelation has also put more question-marks on the functioning of Lalit Modi as the commissioner of the IPL. Modi was suspended after his alleged involvement in financial irregularities surrounding the event.

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