SRK to stay away

Kolkata, May 22 (IANS) Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan has decided to stay away from Indian Premier League (IPL) matches involving his team Knight Riders until he has a clear understanding of the code of conduct.

Shah Rukh was reportedly peeved after being not allowed to sit in the players' dug-out by ICC Anti-Corruption officials.

'I am still trying to understand the code of conduct expected of me at the matches of the IPL... ICC etc. After I understand it, I will decide whether to accept it or not. Till such time, I will be with you guys at the hotel, in the meeting but will not come for the matches,' Shah Rukh said in a lengthy SMS to the Knight Riders team members.

Shah Rukh said his absence from the field had nothing to do with the team's poor performance.

'Please do not ever feel it is anything to do with us as a team. I am as dedicated to my Knights as I am to my kids. Only, I won't be coming to the class room till the headmasters' rules are understood by me. I am a bit anti-establishment kind of a guy, so I apologise for this quirk to you all.'

Shah Rukh also denied reports of any rift with Knight Riders captain Sourav Ganguly and coach John Buchanan.

'Ignore all this bit about Dada, me and John having issues. It's a normal thing in the world. People like to hit you when you are down... It will make us stronger. The only way to avoid this is to win,' he wrote.

Knight Riders, virtually ruled out for a semi-finals berth, have two matches left. They are taking on Delhi Daredevils in Delhi Thursday and then play Kings XI Punjab in their last match at home.

'Chin up and don't spoil your character in the next two games. Let's go out with a bang and not a whimper. In films, we say you are only as good as your last film. So let's make the whole world know how good we are in the last two games.'

Seeing that the morale of the team is low in the face of being eliminated from IPL, the actor has been since Monday sending morale-boosting SMSes to all team members to keep them in good humour for the remaining do-or-die two matches.

Khan asked Sourav's team to keep up its 'fighting spirit' and clarified that he was completely behind the team and had not distanced from it, as reported in a section of the media.