BCCI may regulate retired players' participation in foreign T20 leagues

The Indian board is looking to check players from retiring early and play in multiple other T20 leagues

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) may be close to enforcing regulations on participation of retired players in overseas T20 leagues. The matter has been listed on the agenda of the board’s Apex Council meeting to be held on July 7.

BCCI may likely add a clause on retired players' participation in overseas leagues (HT Photo)

Currently, Indian players who announce retirement from international and IPL cricket are free to play in T20 leagues overseas. Harbhajan Singh is the latest to have signed up for GT20 Canada that begins on July 20.

But Ambati Rayudu signing up for Texas Super Kings in cricket’s latest American project — Major League Cricket — has led to many raised eyebrows in the BCCI boardroom. Rayudu, 37, was still close to his competitive best for Chennai Super Kings. Players of his ilk — long-serving members of an IPL franchise — calling it quits to play for overseas T20 leagues is being seen as an increasing possibility.

With several IPL franchise owners now having teams in multiple leagues, Indian board officials foresee this trend being on the rise. Robin Uthappa, 37, who retired last year, featured in the ILT20 this January for Dubai Capitals - an off-shoot of Delhi Capitals. Uthappa has expressed desire to play in T20 leagues around the world.

World Cup winner Yusuf Pathan who retired in 2021 also played for Dubai Capitals and has been active on the legends cricket circuit, another parallel competition space on the rise.

While BCCI’s strict no to other leagues is seen as a restrictive practice in the market, no group or entity — players, agents, franchises, cricket boards — has been able to convince the Indian board to relax their policy.

How the ecosystem takes the latest move to restrain retired players, remains to be seen. “Even if they bring in a cap on players not to play in other leagues, until five years from retirement, their playing careers would be virtually over,” an IPL franchise official said.

Interestingly, the Impact Player rule, used successfully in the last IPL also works as a deterrent for players from giving up their IPL careers. Skillful spinners, otherwise past their prime fitness standards like Piyush Chawla and Amit Mishra got plenty of game time because the rule allowed teams to use them during a limited phase of the match, without the handicap of their below-par fielding and batting prowess. A senior batter like Kedar Jadhav also got games and was duly substituted during fielding.

Impact player in Mushtaq Ali T20

Extending the Impact Player to Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 will also be taken up by the Apex Council. Other items include India’s participation in the Asian Games, where a second-string men’s team is likely to play as the event clashes with the ODI World Cup. India may field its best women’s team in quest of a medal.

BCCI media and sponsorship rights, World Cup stadium upgrades and approval of player contracts are also on the agenda.