The rise of the global T20 cricket leagues has seen cricketers get an opportunity to travel and play in different countries in the world. However, that has not been the case for the majority of Indian men's players.
Many T20 leagues have propped up in the last decade and a half, following the Indian Premier League's (IPL) creation in 2008, which includes the Big Bash League (BBL) in Australia, Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Pakistan Super League (PSL) and more.
While the Board of Cricket Control in India's rules (BCCI) allow foreign players to take part in its T20 competition, it does not allow its own men's players to take part in foreign T20 leagues.
However, exceptions have been made to rules, when it comes to Indian women's cricketers. Smriti Mandhana, Richa Ghosh and Deepti Sharma are three Indian players who are taking part in the ongoing Women's Hundred competition in England.
The Sporting News looks at the reasons behind BCCI's move to prevent Indian Men's cricketers from playing in T20 competitions overseas.
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Why does BCCI not allow Indian men's cricketers to take part in foreign T20 leagues?
The Indian T20 competition, IPL created after India's maiden T20 World Cup victory in 2007 was a massive success, which led to money starting to flow abundantly into the BCCI's coffers.
While the league attracted foreign stars to the league, who were not only paid the best salaries but also got access to playing in different conditions, it did not allow its own Indian cricketers to travel overseas to play in other competitions.
This is because the BCCI felt that participation of the Indians in the overseas leagues would mean more eyeballs in India and higher media rights value. It believed that such a move would not be in its own best interests. Therefore, a new policy preventing Indian cricketers' participation in foreign leagues was brought about.
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According to the policy, if a men’s cricketer wishes to participate in other top T20 leagues around the world, they have to retire from Indian cricket at all levels – that is cut all ties with the BCCI.
In a recent example, former India cricketer Suresh Raina was allowed to take part in the Abu Dhabi T10 league only after he had retired from IPL and all domestic cricket in 2022.
Similarly, Unmukt Chand, who was India's U19 World Cup winning captain retired from all domestic cricket and competitions under BCCI and shifted to the United States, following which he was allowed to take part in leagues like the CPL.
Former Indian head coach Rahul Dravid had once suggested that even if BCCI's policy was primarily due to financial reasons, it might have been the right move because it not only helps in managing players' workload but preventing players from participating in foreign leagues, keeps India's domestic cricket healthy.
"The thing is it's right in the middle of our season, and with the kind of demand, there would be for Indian players, if you allowed all the Indian players to play in these leagues, we would not have domestic cricket. Our domestic trophy, our Ranji Trophy would be finished, and that would mean Test cricket would be finished," Dravid said.
Why are Indian women's cricketers allowed to play in overseas T20 league but not men?
The BCCI has allowed its women players to feature in franchise T20 competitions like the Women's Big Bash League (WBBL) and The Hundred competition in England.
The reason for BCCI's exemption to women cricketers is believed to be because there was no franchise cricket leagues for women in India then, unlike the IPL for men's cricketers. Therefore, they were allowed to play in overseas competitions during breaks from international cricket.
Moreover, it is possible that BCCI might adopt a similar policy for women in the future, of preventing them from taking part in foreign leagues, with the rising success of the newly established Women's Premier League (WPL) in India, which has completed just its second season, in 2024.