Kings XI Punjab CEO quits

Kings XI Punjab, one of two IPL franchises terminated  by the BCCI, has lost its second chief executive in three years. Anil Srivatsa, who joined the franchise a year ago, left the team by mutual consent on August 15. He made it clear, however, that his leaving had nothing to with the events surrounding the subsequent expulsion of the team.

Srivatsa told ESPNcricinfo he had heard rumours about the board planning to expel the franchise around the time of his departure, but nobody took them seriously. He expressed disappointment at the BCCI's decision, saying he hopes it won't turn out to be a case of "killing the goose that laid the golden egg [the IPL]. I hope there is wisdom behind the decisions; professional wisdom rather than personal agendas."

Srivatsa left because despite hiring a chief executive, micro-management made the position redundant, something both sides came to realise. "The IPL is not a place ready for professionals yet," he said. "If this is looked on as a business where you let your management do their job, a lot would change."

At the same time, he said the IPL was a wonderful experience and he enjoyed the challenge of building the team's brand and creating a fan following. "IPL as a product itself was amazing. It was a learning that no other place could teach you."

Representatives for Kings XI Punjab declined to comment for this story and Srivatsa is still listed as the chief executive on the team's website. During his tenure, Punjab finished last in the 2010 IPL and were dogged by accusations that Yuvraj Singh was deliberately underperforming after losing the captaincy to Kumar Sangakkara.

Prior to joining Punjab, Srivatsa spent three years at Radio Today Broadcasting, an India Today group venture. He also has 16 years of experience in the cable distribution and broadcasting business in the United States. He had replaced Neil Maxwell, who was the chief executive for the first season.

Earlier this week the IPL governing council ejected Rajasthan Royals and Punjab from the IPL on charges of breaching shareholding and ownership norms.