Rajasthan Royals, who will be back in the Indian Premier League after a two-year suspension, have asked the Board of Control for Cricket in India if they can change their name, reported The Indian Express. The move is being seen as an attempt to move away from their spot-fixing scandal tainted image.
The report also stated that the inaugural IPL winners could move out of Jaipur for the upcoming season. “They have made the request but no reason has been given as to why they want to change the company name,” a BCCI official was quoted as saying.
Whether the franchise can move away from the venue will hinge on whether BCCI decides to lift the ban on the Rajasthan Cricket Association. RCA’s ouster came at the wake of former IPL chairman Lalit Modi contesting elections in the state.
Kings may bid adieu to Mohali
Another IPL franchise, Kings XI Punjab, is also considering moving away from its base. It is reported that a lack of support from the Punjab board and trouble with local authorities are the reasons behind their request to move out.
Despite being a part of each of the 10 seasons of the tournament, the Punjab franchise has been unsuccessful in creating a brand in the state. It is also learnt that the side collected more gate revenue when their “home” matches were scheduled in Pune and Indore during previous seasons compared to their earnings in Mohali.
The Supreme Court-ordered Committee of Administrators have reportedly asked the matter to be presented before the next IPL governing council meeting. Like Rajasthan, Kings XI may also have to change their name if they move away from their Mohali base.
The report quoted a BCCI official as saying that Punjab had tried to engineer the move earlier too. “They had bid for Mohali when the first-ever auction took place for IPL teams,” the official said. “So, technically, if they want to change their base now, they will have to pay the BCCI. They have made this request earlier too but the board did not agree.”