Uthappa asks BCCI to allow Indians to play in foreign T20 leagues

He said it hurts when players are not allowed to play in foreign cricket leagues

robin-uthappa-bcci (File) Robin Uthappa | via BCCI official website

Echoing the opinions of fellow Indian cricketer Suresh Raina, Robin Uthappa has urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India to allow players who don’t have central contracts to take part in foreign T20 leagues.

Speaking on the BBC podcast The Doosra, Uthappa said that it hurts when players are not allowed to play in cricket leagues outside the country. He added that as “a student of the game”, a player would want to learn and grow as much as they can.

“Please let us go, honest to god, please let us go. Because sometimes, you’ve played for so long at a certain level and then when you have to come back and play first-class cricket, it takes a little time to get used to it.”

“It would be so nice if we could go and play at least a couple of others because as a student of the game you want to learn and grow as much as you can,” Uthappa added.

Recently, Raina, during an Instagram Live session with former pacer Irfan Pathan, had said the non-contracted players should be allowed to play in foreign leagues.

“I wish BCCI plans something with ICC or the franchises that Indian players get to play foreign leagues. At least allow us to play in two different foreign leagues. If we play quality cricket in terms of foreign leagues, then it would be good for us. All international players make a comeback by playing in all those leagues,” Raina had said. Irfan also backed his former teammate’s suggestion, saying that as players get older they have lesser chance of making the team and should be allowed to play in foreign leagues.

Following this, former cricketer Aakash Chopra had also supported Raina’s views. The BCCI currently does not allow Indian players to participate in foreign leagues irrespective of their contract with the cricket body.

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