Domestic T20 leagues are rising, while the demand for Indian players has also considerably increased. However, the BCCI is unwilling to permit the Indians to participate overseas, while Rajeev Shukla has reaffirmed it.
As far as the domestic Twenty20 (T20) leagues are concerned, they have been on a constant rise, with nearly every top cricketing nation getting its franchise T20 league. Recently, a couple of new T20 tournaments were added to the fray: CSA T20 League (South Africa) and ILT20 (UAE). While most of the teams in these leagues are owned by franchises from the Indian Premier League (IPL), the demand for Indian players in tournaments has also increased. However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has constantly denied the Indians permission to play overseas, anything other than the IPL.
In the wake of the same, BCCI vice-president Rajeev Shukla has once again reaffirmed that the board does not have a policy of allowing the Indians in foreign T20 competitions. His statement comes amid rumours of reigning Chennai Super Kings (CSK) skipper MS Dhoni mentoring Johannesburg Super Kings (JSK), as Shree Cements own both sides.
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“We do not provide our players to any other cricket league abroad. We have a straight policy regarding this. Our Indian Premier League is huge, and we cannot allow our [Indian] players to attach themselves to any foreign league in any manner,” Shukla clarified BCCI’s policy to ANI.
Following the announcement of the new T20 leagues in South Africa and the United Arab Emirates, IPL franchises involving Chennai Super Kings, Mumbai Indians, Rajasthan Royals and Kolkata Knight Riders have owned teams across the tournaments. Both competitions are to be played between January-February next year.