A light-hearted moment featuring actor Abhishek Bachchan has gone viral after he suggested roping in Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma for the European T20 Premier League (ETPL) once they retire from international
cricket.
The clip is from the event in Sydney where ETPL announced the owners of its first three franchises.
‘Please Ask Them to Play Here First’
During the discussion, a reporter asked if there’s a chance of Kohli or Rohit being associated with the league in the future.
Bachchan quipped, “Hum aapse darkhwast karna chahte hain ki jab Chiku (Virat Kohli) aur Rohit retire ho jaayein, aap unhe kahe idhar khelein sabse pehle. Aap jo bhi bolte ho, woh sunte hain (We request you that when Kohli and Rohit retire, you ask them to play here first. Whatever you say, they listen to).”
When @juniorbachchan stumped me with a request! As a co-founder of #ET20league , junior AB tries to reach out to #ROKO in his own inimitable style 😊 #Kohli #Rohitsharma pic.twitter.com/C3uTbryT57
— Vimal कुमार (@Vimalwa) January 21, 2026
Bachchan’s Role in European T20 Premier League
Bachchan is one of the co-owners of the ICC-sanctioned European T20 Premier League, which was launched in 2025. The league aims to grow franchise cricket across European markets and attract global audiences.
Although the ETPL’s 2025 season was postponed, the league continues to generate buzz due to its ambitious vision and high-profile backers from the film and sports industries.
Indian Stars and BCCI Restrictions
At present, active Indian cricketers are not allowed to play in overseas franchise leagues due to BCCI regulations. This makes it difficult for leagues like ETPL to sign marquee Indian players during their playing careers.
However, retired Indian stars are free to participate in foreign leagues, which is why Bachchan’s comment focused on Kohli and Rohit’s post-retirement phase, likely after 2027.
