Icons may go on sale before next IPL

After the IPL auctions earlier this year, Rahul Dravid had wished that players were never 'sold' again. Strangely enough, before the next edition of the IPL, he himself could be put up for sale. When the trading window opens in February next year, icon players like Dravid and Sourav Ganguly could well find themselves on the transfer list. According to sources, some of the franchisees are unhappy with the performance of their icon players and are even exploring avenues to 'sell' them off. IPL commissioner Lalit Modi informed TOI that although the icon players had been given special status, the franchises would be permitted to trade their 'non-performing assets'. According to BCCI sources, some of the franchisees have indicated that they be allowed to trade below-par performers for those the owners feel might be quality replacements. But Modi made it clear on Wednesday that "if the franchisees want to dispose off the icon players or the underperformers in the team, the owners will have to pay off the three-year contract money to them". Or else, they can be traded to some other teams when the IPL trading window opens next February. "This format is quite unpredictable. The top team in the first seven matches may not be the same when the league finishes. But if some franchisee wants new players and wants to dispose off their icon, they will have to pay the three-year contract money. If some other teams are willing to buy them, then those players' salaries will have to be paid by the new owners. In fact, the trading window opens next year in February," Modi said. "The IPL rule is fixed for next three years. There will be eight foreign players in the team out of which four can be inducted in the playing XI. On top of this, if the franchisees want to sign up new players, they are welcome to do so. But in that case, you will have to pay that player's salary. But the rule to have eight of them in the team and four on the field will remain," Modi said. There are some franchisees like team Mohali and Delhi Daredevils, though, who are quite happy with their icons Yuvraj Singh and Virender Sehwag.