Lagatar24 Desk
London: Former IPL chairman Lalit Modi is back in the headlines after making a series of remarks about Prime Minister Narendra Modi in an interview with ANI in London, clarifying the nature of their relationship and sharing his vision for cricket infrastructure in India.
Relationship With PM Modi Was Cricket-Centric
Lalit Modi said that PM Modi has always shown deep interest in the development of cricket in Gujarat, and that most of their conversations revolved around cricket infrastructure development in Ahmedabad. He made it clear that their closeness was entirely centred on cricket and had nothing to do with politics.
Clarifies Remarks on Narendra Modi Stadium
The interview comes shortly after Lalit Modi had sparked controversy by saying he would demolish and rebuild the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad if given the chance. In the ANI interview, he clarified that he was not criticising the stadium but expressing a broader vision for Indian sports infrastructure. He described it as India’s finest stadium today but said that if the goal is to deliver an internationally competitive fan experience, he would rebuild even that stadium.
BCCI Must Build World-Class Venues, Says Lalit Modi
Lalit Modi emphasised that the BCCI possesses enormous financial power and global influence, and should use it to build stadiums that match the world’s most prestigious sporting venues. He cited Wembley, Lord’s, Camp Nou in Barcelona, Old Trafford, and the Etihad Stadium as examples of world-class venues that are far superior to anything currently in India.
