India’s 2012 U-19 World Cup winning skipper Unmukt Chand, who is currently representing the United States, believes that domestic cricket will suffer if the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) allows cricketers to take part in foreign leagues. While players from other countries play T20 leagues all around the world, Indian cricketers only take part in the Indian Premier League (IPL) and they can play abroad only after they retire from the game or let go of their central contract. In a recent interview, Chand explained that the overseas leagues generally coincide with domestic competitions and if cricketers are allow to leave for these lucrative opportunities, then the domestic tournaments “will die”.
“I think there are a few technicalities involved that’s why I think the BCCI doesn’t let the players go and play other leagues. Obviously, as a player you would want to maximise the opportunities of playing, you want to play and it’s also like sometimes you have seen that David Warner doing well in IPL gets him back into the Australian side so it’s also a way to come back into your sides” he told Times Now.
“Most of the tournaments get played during the domestic tournament when the Ranji Trophy is going on, T20 is going, one day Vijay Hazare is going on so if players start going away, then the domestic tournament will die. There are a few technicalities involved…It’s for the BCCI to answer but as a player, if you ask me I would want to go anywhere and everywhere”, he added.
He also spoke about the highly-anticipated T20 World Cup 2024 clash between rivals India and Pakistan which will be held on June 9 in New York.
“It’s always crazy. People are going to be really excited to watch it and watch the games. It’s happening in the US for the first time. So yes, people are looking forward to it. It’s not a big stadium, I’m assuming. So it will be a little difficult for everyone to sort of get in. But yeah, there’s a lot of, you know, noise already being created around the buzz around World Cup. Obviously, India playing in USA, a number of games, I’m sure that will all be easily housefulls,” he said.
