Picture Credit: BCCI
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is considering allowing Indian players to compete in foreign franchise leagues, as per reports. While players from all parts of the world dream of coming to India to play in the Indian Player League, currently the active men's cricketers are not allowed to compete in any overseas leagues other than the IPL.
The sudden change in BCCI's thought process has come after pressure from franchises and a great demand for Indian players. Although retired Indian men's cricketers and women's cricketers are allowed to compete in leagues in other countries, if the BCCI makes this decision, it will mean several other men's cricketers will be able to play in competitions like the Big Bash League, The Hundred, the Caribbean Premier League among others.
However, it's not that straightforward as the BCCI might still not allow high-profile Indian stars or the centrally contracted Indian cricketers to compete in such tournaments. This suggests that there will still be no Virat Kohli or Rohit Sharma in any other T20 league other than the IPL.
"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.
The news comes after each of the six franchises in South Africa's upcoming league has been bought by IPL franchise owners. While a conversation may have started inside the BCCI, a final decision in this regard is likely to be taken at the BCCI's Annual General Meeting in September.