Vinod Rai clears the question mark surrounding India's participation in Champions Trophy 2017

A day after reports emerged that Team India might pull out from playing this year’s ICC Champions Trophy in England, the head of the four-member panel of administrators Vinod Rai brushed aside all these rumours and confirmed that India will participate in the event. The Men in Blue are the defending champions of the tournament and given their balance in the limited overs team it won’t be a surprise if they go and defend their title successfully in June.

“I can’t comment on rumours. Why should the BCCI pull out of the Champions Trophy? Why? Doesn’t the Indian public want us to participate in the tournament? Everybody says we can withdraw from the Champions Trophy. Is it feasible? Will there not be a huge backlash? Gone are the days when we could threaten and get away,” Vinod Rai was quoted as saying by the Bangalore Mirror.

Rai also admitted that BCCI will request ICC to give them a three-month time and not squash the revenue model formula now but later in the year and Rai is pretty certain about the fact that ICC will consider their request. Despite agreeing to the fact that BCCI is the largest revenue holder in the ICC, Rai said that they cannot be isolated for long and are ready to squash some short-term plans in favour of some long term gains. He further said that BCCI had already agreed to the revised revision model when it was put up in 2014 and then in 2016.

Despite agreeing to the fact that BCCI is the largest revenue holder in the ICC, Rai said that they cannot be isolated for long and are ready to squash some short-term plans in favour of some long term gains. He further said that BCCI had already agreed to the revised revision model when it was put up in 2014 and then in 2016.

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India played a terrific brand of cricket in the previous Champion Trophy in 2013 and didn’t lose a single game. Under the leadership of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the Men in Blue were by far the best team in the tournament and shined in all 3 departments of the game.

Especially in the final where the match was reduced to a 20 overs affair, the bowlers bowled splendidly and defended a below par total of 129. With the Champions Trophy not far away, the new Indian captain Virat Kohli will be gearing up for the tournament in full flow.