Dubai: Defending champions Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) are set to get into a legal battle with the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) over the participation of star spinner Sunil Narine in IPL VIII, according to media reports.

Narine was banned for his suspect action during the 2014 Champions League Twenty20 and was barred from playing in the final against Chennai Super Kings, a match KKR went on to lose by eight wickets. Narine was subsequently dropped from West Indies’ tour of India in November and then the mystery spinner himself opted out of the 2015 World Cup.

An English-language tabloid published in Mumbai said KKR is now contemplating taking legal action against BCCI.

The Shah Rukh Khan-owned team contends that, while Narine was not hauled up for chucking during the IPL, his action was suddenly found illegal in the CLT20.

Earlier, Kolkata signed up former Pakistan all-rounder Azhar Mahmoud and former South African off-spinner Johan Botha as replacements for the injured New Zealand all-rounder James Neesham and Australian batsman Chris Lynn.

The Pepsi IPL 2015, meanwhile, will be played at 12 venues across India from April 8 to May 28.

A press release from the BCCI, meanwhile, says there has been a change in the match schedule of the tournament, on the request of the Kolkata Police with the Kolkata Municipal Elections taking place on April 18. There will be no ‘home’ matches of the Kolkata Knight Riders at the Eden Gardens from April 12-25 as per the revised schedule. The dates of three matches and timings of two other matches have been changed.

The match between Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings at the Eden Gardens, Kolkata, which was to be played on April 14, has been shifted to 8pm on April 30. The match between KKR and Delhi Daredevils at the Eden Gardens has been shifted from April 28 to May 7.

Meanwhile, the match between Chennai Super Kings and Kolkata Knight Riders at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai, to be played on April 30, has now been shifted to April 28.

The day game (2.30pm UAE) between Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians at the Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium, Motera, Ahmedabad, on April 14 will now be played from 6.30pm.

The evening game between Rajasthan Royals and Sunrisers Hyderabad at the Brabourne Stadium, Mumbai on May 7 will

now be played at 4pm.