The Indian Premier League does not figure in BCCI's statistical annual

IT is often stressed that the Indian Premier League, which is conducted under the BCCI umbrella, is an Indian domestic tournament.

Hence, it is baffling to notice that the cricket money-spinner finds no mention in the BCCI's statistical annual, which covers all tournaments senior and junior run by the Board.

Though the annual is not sold to the general public, it has been a prestigious publication of the BCCI for the last 34 years.

Irony
Non-publication of details for IPL Season One is a huge irony, especially when one considers the BCCI's allergy to players aligned with the Indian Cricket League.

Was ignoring the IPL in the book one way of disrespecting the tournament and its pillars? In Indian cricket politics, this cannot be ruled out. IPL vice-chairman Niranjan Shah, who was secretary of the Board till last September, was not alarmed though. "Send us a suggestion and we shall include the IPL Season One and Two in next year's statistical annual," he said from Rajkot.

The two-volume annual contain records and scorecards of all matches domestic and international played by India last season.

The writer is a freelancer