The BCCI apex council on Friday failed to arrive at a decision on retired players’ participation in overseas leagues and left it to the office-bearers to take a call.
While contracted players are not allowed to participate in foreign leagues, those who have retired from all forms of cricket, including the IPL, can ply their trade elsewhere. Ambati Rayudu recently decided to join the Major League Cricket (MLC) in the US after retiring as a member of the victorious Chennai Super Kings team.
The apex council, which met in Mumbai on Friday, did discuss the media rights for bilateral series in India. Secretary Jay Shah later said that the process will be completed by August, before the three-match ODI series against Australia.
The BCCI is expected to take a cautious approach on participation in foreign leagues. Players wishing to do so could need a No Objection Certificate. The council is learnt to have failed to reach a consensus and asked the office-bearers to assess all aspects, including legal implications, before placing it at the next council meeting.
“We'll come out with a policy to prevent the trend of pre-determined retirement. The office-bearers will make a policy and send it back for approval,” Shah said.
There’s talk that there could be a one-year cooling-off period before a retired player is allowed to be part of such leagues. That way, the BCCI could stop a player from straightaway featuring in rival leagues.
Franchises in several foreign leagues — including the SA20 in South Africa, CPL in the West Indies and ILT20 in UAE besides the MLC — are being funded by IPL team owners and the BCCI hasn’t taken it too generously since it adds to the coffers of other boards.
Asian Games cleared
The council approved the participation of men’s and women’s teams in the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, in September-October.
With the ODI World Cup clashing with the Games, the Board will send a second-string men’s team. However, a full-strength women’s side will participate.
Shah also informed that the support staff for the women's team will be announced before the Asian Games.
The Impact Player rule, used in the IPL and which debuted in the Syed Mushtaq Ali T20 meet last year, will continue this year too with some changes, including removing the clause which allowed the impact player to be named only before the 14th over.
