Indian Cricketers Foreign Leagues: South Africa T20 League: Under pressure from IPL franchises, BCCI is now open to the idea of allowing Indian players in foreign franchise leagues. The demand for allowing Indian players has grown immensely with IPL’s growing influence in foreign countries. As the Indian Premier League franchises clean-swept the CSA T20 League, acquiring all six teams, the BCCI is now ready to give the green signal. A final decision will be taken at its AGM (annual general meeting) in September. Follow Indian Cricket Live Updates on InsideSport.IN.
“Few IPL teams with a presence in leagues abroad have requested BCCI to allow Indian players. But we have to discuss this at the AGM before coming to any conclusion. It is a contentious issue as IPL is successful because of the exclusivity it provides. Definitely, we won’t lose that. As for Indian players playing abroad, it may happen due to growing number of franchise leagues,” a senior BCCI official told InsideSport.
Indian Cricketers Foreign Leagues: BCCI likely to ALLOW Indian players to play in FOREIGN leagues, decision at AGM in September: Follow Live Updates
Currently, BCCI allows only women cricketers and retired male players to play in franchise leagues abroad. But all active Indian players are barred from playing any part in foreign leagues. The BCCI believes if Indian players play in foreign leagues, IPL will lose its exclusivity. However, although the board is mulling a change in stance, high-profile players or centrally contracted players won’t be allowed to play. That means Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma won’t be playing in BBL or The Hundred or CPL.
Indian Cricketers Foreign Leagues: BCCI likely to ALLOW Indian players to play in FOREIGN leagues, decision at AGM in September: Follow Live Updates
Indian Cricketers Foreign Leagues: Why BCCI is all set to allow Indian players in foreign leagues?
- IPL franchises have requested BCCI to change its stance on Indian players in foreign leagues.
- As more and more franchise leagues are mushrooming, the Indian players remain in high demand.
- Six IPL franchises acquired all six teams in the newly established CSA T20 League.
- In UAE’s International t20 League, 4 owners out of 6 are IPL team owners.
- In CPL, three teams are partly or fully owned by IPL franchises.
- With that, BCCI is now under pressure to allow Indian active cricketers to play in such leagues.
- However, BCCI is not ready to budge on allowing the star players like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, KL Rahul, Jasprit Bumrah or Rishabh Pant to play in such leagues.
- The BCCI is mulling allowing only non-contracted players or players who don’t feature in their states’ plans in domestic cricket.
- If that happens, many cricketers will be ready to play in foreign leagues as Indian domestic calendar has a huge 6-month gap.
- A decision is likely to be taken at the BCCI AGM in September.
“It’s good to see the growing footprints of IPL all over the world. But we should not forget that it is because of the Indian players that IPL is so popular. It is the only league where fans can watch them play. If they start playing in other leagues, it will only increase viewers’ fatigue. It won’t be exclusive anymore. But there is room for relaxation when it comes to not so popular player or cricketers who are not in the reckoning,” the official said.
Indian Cricketers Foreign Leagues: BCCI likely to ALLOW Indian players to play in FOREIGN leagues, decision at AGM in September: Follow Live Updates
IPL franchises in foreign leagues:
- Mumbai Indians: CSA T20 League, UAE T20 League
- Kolkata Knight Riders: Caribbean Premier League, UAE T20 League, USA
- Rajasthan Royals: CSA T20 League, CPL
- Lucknow Super Giants: CSA T20 League
- Delhi Capitals: UAE T20 League, CSA T20 League
- Punjab Kings: CPL
- Sunrisers Hyderabad: CSA T20 League
- Chennai Super Kings: CSA T20 League
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