Arun Lal clarifies

The Indian Cricket Players' Association is prepared to represent cricketers on all issues, including the ICC contracts dispute, its vice- president Arun Lal said in Delhi on Thursday.

"We are in the business of representing players. So, naturally, we will represent them before the Indian cricket board if the situation so demands," Lal said.

Refuting the claim that his stand on players' representation contradicted that of ICPA president Mansur Ali Khan Pataudi, Lal said, "I don't think so."

Pataudi had said the newly-formed body would not involve itself in the contract dispute involving Indian cricketers as the issue is complicated and

"What Pataudi meant is that the ICPA won't involve itself in the litigation part of the dispute, which broke out before our organisation was born. But as far as representing the players before the board is concerned, we will do it whenever the situation so demands," he said.

Top Indian cricketers had objected to certain restrictive clauses on personal endorsements in the contracts formulated by the ICC and agreed to take part in the Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka and the World Cup only after the apex body made some concessions.

The BCCI and ICC failed to resolve the contract dispute ahead of the World Cup and the matter is now pending in the Court of Arbitration for Sports in Switzerland.