Lara - File

MUMBAI, India (CMC):

Organisers yesterday played down Brian Lara's absence from the Indian Cricket League's practice sessions, saying the batting star was never scheduled to arrive here until later this week.

Rumours over Lara's possible pull out from the ICL have swirled in recent days, after he failed to show for the preparatory camps which bowled off last week.

"Talks that Lara is not coming are mere speculations. We wanted the foreign players to start joining the team only from this week and are happy that Nathan Astle and Van Der Wath have already joined us ahead of schedule," said ICL's marketing chief, Gaurav Seth.

"We are expecting Lara, Vikram Solanki and Nantie Hayward by the 21st or 22nd."

Pull out

Media reports here last week said Lara had conveyed to tournament organisers, Essel Group, through his lawyers in London, his decision to pull out of the Twenty20 Championship slated to be played from November 30 to December 16 at Panchkula near Chandigarh.

Speculation was further fueled when the 38-year old Lara was not among several international players who arrived for the opening of the camp on Friday.

Tournament organisers, how-ever, had dismissed reports of a Lara pull out, assuring fans and media that the former West Indies captain would arrive, as scheduled, for the start of the tournament.

Lara, who holds the record for the highest Test and first class scores along with the most career runs in Tests, was announced last week to represent the Mumbai Champs in the lucrative inaugural tournament.

To date, he is the league's biggest drawing card and was one of the first players to sign up for the controversial league which has received strong opposition from the Indian cricket board.