Former India captain Sunil Gavaskar is the ‘big player’ who had helped the owner of Kochi’s Indian Premiere League (IPL) owners to bag the franchise rights, according an NDTV report.
Gavaskar is apparently the man who propped up Rendezvous Sports World Pvt Ltd and got investors for the bid.
This was confirmed by the Gaikwad family which owns 25 per cent free equity and 1 per cent paid equity in the team.
In a statement, Gavaskar, who is in Dubai, said: “They have asked me, individually and collectively, to come in for the cricketing part of the team. I will take a call once the internal issues are resolved.”
Gavaskar will look after the team’s cricketing operations and will get a stake in the franchise. He has also confirmed his interest in team Kochi and will back the team once the internal differences are sorted out.
Satyajit Gaikwad, join owner of the Kochi Franchisee, said: “Today he is not part of the IPL governing council and he can guide us now on the cricketing matter. He was not part of it when he was member of the governing council.”