The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is likely to allow Indian cricketers to take part in foreign leagues in the coming future. As per the report, after years of restriction, the country’s top cricketing body is now open to the idea of giving the go ahead to Indian players. The demand for allowing Indian players has grown immensely with the IPL’s growing influence in foreign countries.
Recently, six IPL franchises acquired teams in the CSA T20 league. And under pressure from the IPL franchises, the BCCI is now open to the idea of allowing Indian players in foreign franchise leagues. According to a report in Insidesport, a final decision will be taken at its AGM in September.
“Few IPL teams with a presence in leagues abroad have requested the 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.
At present, only Indian female cricketers are allowed to take part in overseas leagues, and a few retired male cricketers have also featured in overseas competitions. But any active Indian male player’s participation is strictly prohibited. The BCCI believes if Indian players play in foreign leagues, the IPL will lose its exclusivity.
According to reports, even if the BCCI gives the go-ahead for Indian cricketers to take part in foreign leagues, high-profile Indian internationals or centrally contracted players won’t be allowed to play. That means Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma won’t be playing in the BBL or The Hundred or CPL.
“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 the 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 the viewers’ fatigue. It won’t be exclusive anymore. But there is room for relaxation when it comes to not so popular players or cricketers who are not in the reckoning,” the official said
