Lalit Modi back for second bite of cherry with audacious plan for T20 league in India

New Delhi: Lalit Modi is often described as the man who changed the face of cricket by launching the Indian Premier League.

The flamboyant businessman and the Board of Control for Cricket in India parted ways several years back, but Modi's interest in Indian cricket hasn't diminished.

According to a report in The Indian Express, the 50-year-old is chalking up a plan to revolutionize domestic cricket with a big experiment in Rajasthan cricket.

The president of Rajasthan Cricket Association intends to launch the Rajasthan Premier League (RPL), a T20 tournament, in the coming days.

Now there are several leagues of this nature running in India, but RPL's master plan is to sign up recently-retired international cricket superstars apart from domestic cricketers.

To go ahead with its plans, the RCA will have to approach the Indian board for a No Objection Certificate. The state association is on the verge of securing a broadcast deal as well.

Despite BCCI's dislike for Modi, a ban on the RPL looks unlikely.

“They can host the league as it’s a domestic tournament and anyway they are hosting their own inter-district and other tournaments,” an official told the newspaper.

RCA secretary Sumendra Tiwary confirmed the associations plans to launch a league of this nature.

 “It’s in the planning stage and though nothing has been finalised yet, we will decide soon whether to have a T20 league or not. The talks are on. He (Modi) is part of it; after all he is the president of RCA. Tournament acha he hoga, it will good exposure for the boys. We (RCA) have always welcomed experiments. We are conducting a pink ball four-day game in Rajasthan now, the second association to do it after Bengal. I and Modi are keen to have such kind of innovative ideas. After all having T20 games will give more exposure to the boys,” he said.

It remains to be seen how BCCI deals with Modi and his audacious plans. It must be noted that the Indian board does not permit cricketers from other states or countries to play in the T20 league of a particular state.