BCCI needs to talk with players' reps - Mills

Heath Mills, the head of the New Zealand players' body, has said the Indian board, which runs the IPL, needs to sit immediately with players' associations and address their concerns about security during the tournament if the players were to be reassured. Mills said the BCCI, which currently does not recognise FICA or other players' associations, is yet to respond to a letter from FICA, sent four to five weeks ago, raising concerns over security issues.

"FICA, through Tim May, sent a letter to the BCCI and the IPL four or five weeks ago," Mills said in Wellington. "We haven't got a response to it. We hope to engage the BCCI and the IPL through FICA and to get FICA involved in the security check process. That's really important from the international players' point of view. They are very used to player representatives working with the governing body in going through the security process, and if the BCCI wants the players to feel comfortable and secure about participating in the IPL then they need to include FICA in the process. The players will get comfort from it."

FICA's position on the IPL, which features cricketers from across the world, is crucial because it plays a significant role on issues concerning player welfare in six Test-playing countries. However, India, Pakistan and Bangladesh do not have players' associations and are hence not members of the FICA.

Mills acknowledged the issue had become complicated because the Indian board does not recognise FICA, but said that needed to change. "We're in a difficult situation because we are so used to working with the ICC on these issues. In fact Sharad Pawar [the former BCCI president] was on the security task force for the Champions Trophy with Tim May so in some instances they'll work with us. If we don't get a response from them we'll be in a situation where we won't be able to give recommendations or comfort to the players, and they'll really begin to question the IPL and their participation in it."

The best way forward, he said, was for the BCCI and FICA to sit together and discuss the security measures being put in place and the credibility and experience of those assessing the risk. But time, he warned, was running out. "If they get FICA around the table now hopefully we'll be in a good position to make decisions and give our players good advice. If they don't do that we won't be in a position to give our players any advice.

"In terms of deadlines today's as good a day as any to start working. The guys are going to be travelling four or five weeks' time so we need time to get our ducks in a row and the players will want to know the security arrangements two or three weeks prior to travelling so it needs to start about now."