As the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) mulls a Cooling Off for retired cricketers who want to pursue careers elsewhere, it has drawn criticism. While the BCCI wants to preserve the dominance of IPL, former India World Cup winner Robin Uthappa has called it “uncomfortable and unfair”.
A cooling-off period would prevent players from joining overseas T20 leagues right after their retirement. However, no decision has been taken yet.
“I think it is human nature to feel uncomfortable about it. We do not have any central contract with the BCCI. We are not playing cricket in India anymore. So it certainly does make you feel a little uncomfortable and unfair for sure,” Robin Uthappa said during a media interaction organised by Jio Cinema.
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Robin Uthappa retired from international and IPL last year. He was recently part of the T10 league in Zimbabwe. He also took part in the ILT20 in the UAE. A cooling-off period would have prevented him as well.
“Having said that, the BCCI has certainly looked after all of us. I am certain whatever decision they take will be in the best interest of the BCCI and the players who are going to play in the IPL. ‘There are certain solutions that can be reached. If there is a possibility of communication, we could reach a solution that suits everybody,” Uthappa added.
Earlier, Ambati Rayudu had to withdraw from Major League Cricket (MLC). He retired from IPL to be part of Texas Super Kings. However, with a BCCI diktat looming large, he avoided the board’s wrath.
However, currently, retired players are free to play in overseas leagues. But BCCI is concerned that with mushrooming leagues abroad, more and more players could opt for a route backed by IPL-owned franchises.
“The BCCI is a bit worried that many Indian players will retire early to play in the various lucrative T20 leagues abroad, especially as many teams in these leagues are owned by IPL franchises. Hence, there’s a thought being given to perhaps introduce a cooling-off period,” a BCCI source told TOI earlier.
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