Cricket News: Review of T20 oversea league and IPL ownership
Imagine Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, Jasprit Bumrah, Rishabh Pant and other prominent Indian names getting distributed in different teams at Big Bash League and Cricket South Africa T20 League
IPL league now branched out to SAIt'll be like having three IPLs in one calendar year; after all, IPL is what it is today because of these players. BCCI, to maintain the exclusivity of IPL, doesn't give NOC to Indian players to participate in other domestic cricket leagues.
On Thursday, Australian wicket-keeping legend Adam Gilchrist said that he wants the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to permit the Indian cricketers to participate in the overseas T20 leagues. The BCCI currently does not allow Indian players to participate in overseas T20 leagues like Australia's Big Bash League to maintain the exclusivity of IPL. "It will be wonderful (if the Indian players are allowed to play in overseas T20 leagues), I personally feel that it won't diminish the IPL; it will only grow them as a brand. If they (Indian players) can play in Australia or South Africa," he told reporters.
Adam Gilchrist's suggestion came a day after he brought up the matter of Indian Premier League franchises spreading their wings in world cricket. Clarifying that he is not against the world's most popular league, he asked, "I'm not criticising the IPL, but why won't Indian players come and play in the Big Bash league? I've never had an open and honest answer: Why are some leagues accessing every player in the world? No Indian player plays in any other T20 league. I am not saying in a provocative sense, but is that a fair question?".
In response to this statement, Sunil Gavaskar slammed the former Australian wicketkeeper batter. In his stern reply, he said that old guys, focused on cricket and sponsorship, don't understand that it is to protect players from fatigue.
"Basically, they want their leagues to get more sponsors. They are concerned about their cricket, which is completely understandable, but when Indian cricket is protecting its cricket by making sure Wants their players to stay fresh for their matches and thus bar them from playing overseas, then it is not acceptable to the people of the 'old powers'."
He even highlighted how former Australian cricketers are part of the Indian T20 league as a part of the coaching staff.
"They are only talking about making Indian players available for their country's league, but not about the support staff or others who can do a great job, as in the last half-dozen. Over the years the cricketing world has found. The first IPL was full of Australian players, with not only Australian players dominating the teams, but also the coaches and support staff. There's never a two-way street."
The strictness of BCCI on its stance of not allowing its players to participate in overseas T20 leagues is now quite sure and is likely to remain the same.