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THE suspension of Indian Premier League ( IPL) chairman and commissioner Lalit Modi is the beginning of the mind games between him and the BCCI. It was part of a well- devised strategy that Modi was handed a relatively “ minor punishment” by asking him to reply to the showcause notice within 15 days despite a 20- page chargesheet having been prepared on his “ individual misdemeanours”. Also part of the ploy — which is to gradually marginalise Modi — was the fact that the BCCI waited till the end of the IPL final on Sunday to give him the notice.

Experts say that the board can extend the suspension up to six months — and then prolong it to frustrate him.

“ The suspension notice is intended to test Modi’s patience; it is meant to gauge his reaction.

With the ball in Modi’s court, some of the key board officials would now wait and watch how he reacts to the notice,” a BCCI insider told M AIL T ODAY . “ If Modi moves a court, it will provide ammunition to his rivals in the board to fire another salvo. And he might start disclosing undesirable details about some key officials. And if Modi does that he would give an opportunity to his foes to blast him,” he explained.

The source said it was unlikely that the board would now buckle under any threat from Modi. “ The board is on a solid footing. The list of his ‘ misdemeanours’ runs into 20 pages.

So, if Modi dares them, they would counter- attack with a vengeance,” he said.

The source also said there was no effort for a compromise from either side in the days leading to Modi’s suspension. “ Modi, along with I. S. Bindra, who has been his staunchest supporter, was completely out of touch with the BCCI top brass for the last two- three days. There was no communication between the two groups; not a single word was exchanged between them,” he said.

The insider pointed out that although Chirayu Amin, a council member and a BCCI vice- president, has been appointed interim IPL chairman, the real intent is to prolong his stint.

“ He would effectively remain in the position till the next IPL,” he said.

A few days ago, Modi had apparently wanted to move court, but he did not do so. Wellknown Kolkata- based senior advocate U. N. Banerjee said Modi was unlikely to get a reprieve on the issue of suspension.

“ If he has a ground he can take legal recourse. I don’t know the contents of the notice he has been served. But I don’t think that he would get relief from a court on mere suspension. The law is very clear on suspension: it’s not a punishment,” Banerjee, who has fought BCCI cases for 19 years, told M AIL T ODAY . “ A suspension, according to the BCCI constitution, has to be completed within six months.”