As the Indian team is looking forward to their next assignment which is against Australia Down Under, former India cricketer and head coach, Ravi Shastri has dropped a big statement on cricket in India. Speaking on the Willow Talk podcast, Shastri has urged the apex cricket body in India - the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to rethink its rules of barring Indian cricketers to play overseas leagues.
Shastri is of the opinion that with a vast number of players coming from India, the BCCI should let them feature in overseas T20 league in order to gain experience. However, he suggested that non-contracted players should be allowed as it would offer them exposure as well as experience along with financial stability.
It’s an education in every sense: Shastri on non-contracted players playing overseas T20 league
“Why stop a guy from
playing in the Big Bash League if he can’t make it to the Test side or only has a level C or D contract?” Shastri questioned during the podcast. He further added that such experiences would be similar to the IPL, where young Indian players benefit immensely from sharing dressing rooms with elite international talent.
“It’s an education in every sense. You learn different training methods, understand new cultures, and pick up techniques that can help when you return to domestic or IPL cricket. Exposure like this is terrific for a player’s development,” he said.
As of now, the BCCI permits only retired men players to participate in foreign T20 leagues as active cricketers need a No Objection Certificate (NOC) to take part in the tournament. However, Indian women players have regularly played overseas competitions such as the Big Bash League (BBL) and The Hundred.
