File photo of Sundar Raman (R) and Sunil Gavaskar during an IPL 2014 ceremony in Dubai.
© BCCI
New Delhi: Indian Premier League (IPL) chief operating officer Sundar Raman confirmed that the Indian Premier League being hosted outside India in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) earlier this year would be a one-off event due to a clash with the General Elections. (UAE to Host 60% Matches of IPL 7)
"IPL is a product of India for Indians and will remain a domestic event. But plans to make the brand international with individual franchises playing internationally is something we are looking at," he said.
"But the UAE has taken to cricket like duck to water and should look into developing their own version of the IPL," he added.
Raman was addressing a panel at the summit, designed for experts from the field of sports and other main events, on the partnership between the UAE and IPL where he highlighted Dubai's potential as a great host city for cricket.
"It is game ready, venue ready and fan ready. I think Dubai under-pitches itself as a host city," he said.
Raman has also called for a rethink on security on the cricket pitch following the critical head injury to Australian opener Phil Hughes.
"I think there's lots of rethinking that needs to happen about bouncers, about protection, about general safety in cricket," said Raman on Wednesday.
"That's a larger conversation which needs to be encouraged and something needs to be done about it," he added.
Hughes remains in a post-surgery induced coma at a Sydney hospital after he was hit by a bouncer bowled by Sean Abbott during a Sheffield Shield game between New South Wales and South Australia.
Asked if making helmets compulsory on pitch would be the answer, he said: "Nowhere are helmets compulsory. But I don't think Hughes' injury has got to do with helmet in the first place because he was hit at a spot which is not covered by the helmet.
"Accidents happen in sport and it's very, very unfortunate."
The IPL COO, who is under fire over the spot-fixing and betting scandal, declined to comment on the issue. (Sundar Raman Denies Allegations)
"The case is in the Supreme Court so I won't be saying anything on that matter," he said.
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