BCCI should allow Indian cricketers to participate in foreign T20 leagues, says Adam Gilchrist

Former Australian wicket-keeper Adam Gilchrist has said that he has never found an honest answer from the Board of Control for Cricket in India about why Indian cricketers are not allowed to play franchise leagues across the globe.

"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," Gilchrist told reporters on Thursday, 28 July.

"But the challenge is we are all playing our domestic seasons at the same time, so that is a hard thing, isn’t it?," he added.

Gilchrist's comments came on the backdrop of him being asked about the position of the Indian Premier League as the best franchise tournament in the world. The Australian legend said that he was



not against the IPL.

"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?" he asked.

"I really want to highlight (that the) six seasons (I played in the IPL) I loved it. It was a great experience. It is the premier T20 competition in the world, but it is important to allow other boards and countries to prosper as well," he added.

In the recent times, a few Indian cricketers have chosen to retire from the Indian set-up and move their base to the United States of America. Recently former Indian cricketer Unmukt Chand played in the Big Bash League after qutting the Indian set-up.