Q While England hosted two series at home in a bio-secure bubble, managing eight teams and that many more people would have been a huge problem, considering that it’s not just the IPL’s decision, but also involves eight franchises. How was the bio-secure protocol for this IPL determined, considering there was no template?

A As you rightly observe, there was no precedent for this and, therefore, our operation and medical team followed closely what other sports and events around the world were doing as they started to get their respective sports back up and running – not only the ECB hosting the West Indies and Pakistan tours, but also various other sports in the US – NFL, MLB, NFL, UFC – and the professional bull riding and the football authorities in Germany and the UK. There was a shared interest in passing on knowledge and experience as all of these sports dealt with a common challenge.

Q Were the franchise owners receptive to the problems?

A I must say that the owners were receptive and fully supported our decision to move the IPL to the UAE.

Q What about players? Off and on, one hears of players complaining about being locked up for several weeks in the bio-secure bubble. Have you spoken to any of them to find out what their thoughts are?

A There are few people in the world whose lives are unaffected by the pandemic and it is fair to say that the normal rhythm of an IPL season is for the players to be in hotels for the entire time. That said, the franchises have done a sensational job in creating team rooms and activities for the players at the team hotels. I have spoken to the management of the teams and the feedback is that the players are happy to be back on the field and they understand that this will be the norm in these Covid-19 times.

Q The mental state of players had become a big issue even before the pandemic set in and has been compounded in the long lockdown and the fear of Covid. How is the BCCI handling this? Have you got counsellors in place or some such thing?

A We took an early decision to spread the load of organising the season. The franchises have taken responsibility for their players, subject to the guidelines and procedures laid down by the BCCI medical team. I have been impressed by the care that each franchise has shown to the players.

Q There was a transfer window midway through the tournament, which promised a lot of action, but nothing happened. Why?

A We tweaked the loan regulations as a contingency in the event that a franchise’s squad became unbalanced through player unavailability through injury or illness. Thankfully, the franchises have not needed to use this. I am not aware of any loan discussions but the league has been so competitive with six teams still in the running for three play-off places with six matches of the regular season to go, that I can quite understand why franchises have been unwilling to loan a player to a competitor.

Q You’ve been in the UAE right through the tournament. Do you think the IPL lacked something without spectators at the ground?

A The fans in the stadium are a key part of the IPL and we have been conscious at every game that they have not been able to be there. As mentioned earlier, credit must go to our TV production team and our broadcaster, Star TV, for implementing innovative ideas to compensate for the lack of spectators and the feedback we have received is that the viewers have not felt that the matches are played closed doors.

Q The next tournament comes up in six months. Do you think there is appetite for the IPL so soon, among players and fans?

A Yes, there is enough appetite for the IPL as the ratings have gone up by 20-25 per cent on the 2019 season and the cricket has been fantastic. We had a similar situation in 2016 when we played IPL immediately after the T20 World Cup or some major bilateral series like against Australia in 2017 and the viewership is increasing year on year. The players are also keen to play in the IPL and the next one is still four to five months away.

Q You’ve had a demanding year as chairman, IPL, what with the prolonged suspense over IPL 2020, then shifting the tournament to another country etc, etc. What’s your journey been like?

A I have been involved in the administration of Indian cricket for a long time and it has been an honour this year to have chaired the Governing Council of the IPL – a league that the ICC described as the gold standard of cricket events, a league that is so highly regarded around the world and one which all Indians should be proud of. I’ve had the full support and valuable inputs from the office bearers and the Governing Council in all the decisions. Also, here I must give credit to the IPL team, headed by the experienced CEO, Hemang Amin, for making this year’s IPL a grand success. I can say that it has been satisfying that we have successfully conducted the 2020 IPL.