Stay clear of World Series Hockey, Narendra Batra tells BCCI

The World Series Hockey (WSH) continues to face severe resistance from Hockey India, with HI’s secretary general Narendra Batra objecting to the breakaway league’s reference made by Nimbus Sports during the India-West Indies one-dayer in Ahmedabad on Monday.

DNA has learnt that Batra, in a letter to the BCCI, has referred to the audio and video presentation of WSH made by Neo Cricket during the innings break. Neo Cricket, which has the broadcast rights for the ongoing one-day series between India and the West Indies, is a channel from the Nimbus stable.

“We request you that a BCCI event should not be permitted or allowed to promote the WSH,” Batra is believed to have written. The letter has been addressed to BCCI chief N Srinivasan and honorary secretary Sanjay Jagdale.

The Hockey India (HI) official has added that the Indian cricket board must not entertain anybody involved in conduct of an “unsanctioned hockey league”. He has specified that the WSH does not have the blessings of HI and that it’s cricket’s equivalent of a rebel league.

When contacted, Batra admitted that he had dashed off a letter to the BCCI in this regard. However, he refused to divulge the content. “It’s true I’ve written to the BCCI, but I don’t want to reveal its content since it’s a private matter,” Batra said.

Nimbus Sports will be spending almost Rs100 crore on WSH, making it the richest hockey tournament ever in India.