While cricket enthusiasts in the country are closely following the ongoing recruitment war between the Indian Premeir League (IPL) and the Indian Cricket League (ICL), the latter’s coach Pranab Roy reckons that the BCCI’s counter-initiative is starting to give ICL a few worries. After the Zee-backed rebel project was launched amidst aplomb months back, the Indian Board came up with the IPL to counter Subhash Chandra’s rebel league. The IPL may be seen by many as no more than just a reactionary move, but Pranab feels that with the IPL, the BCCI could be biting into ICL’s targeted share of players.

“We are quite happy with the way the ICL is progressing so far. We have had two rounds of camps already, we have a good pool of talented players. Our only worry at this stage is the IPL’s rise. That is something that is a worry for us,” Pranab said.

The former Bengal batsman was recruited by the ICL as spotter-cum-coach for east zone. In fact, Pranab was in the news a few months back after some officials of the Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) allegedly misbehaved with him at the Eden Gardens and later debarred him from entering the CAB’s premises.

Pranab’s fears of the IPL giving the ICL some stiff competition comes amidst speculation in the cricketing community that the BCCI is using everything in its considerable powers to make things difficult for the Zee-backed rebel project.

The former Bengal stalwart however is not taking the ICL’s current roadblock too seriously. “There are some problems right now, the whole launch has been postponed for the time being. But it’s not going to be a big issue. The main point is, we have a solid pool of players. It’s now just a matter of time,” Pranab said.

The player-turned-coach pointed out that after a season or two of Twenty20 events, the ICL will try out three-dayers and four-dayers as well. He also made it clear that the ICL is not going to approach domestic players on a random basis anymore. “The needs are now specific.

Earlier, the management went for singing in as many players as possible. But now that we have a big pool, with enough players to split them into three teams, we are zeroing in on seeking specific needs, like left-arm spinners etc,” Pranab explained.The coach, who will go over for the ICL’s second round of camp in Chennai next week, countered popular belief that the new league only comprises BCCI discards.

“It’s wrong to assume that our pool of players includes ageing players only. There are many players who are quite promising and young.

Even if you take the example of the experienced players in the ICL, like Dinesh Mongia, you can’t call them ageing players or discards in any sense,” Pranab asserted.