IPL Chairman drops FINAL VERDICT on Indian players playing overseas leagues
Published - 17 Dec 2025, 01:09 PM | Updated - 17 Dec 2025, 01:11 PM
Table of Contents
The long-running debate over whether Indian players should be allowed to play in overseas T20 leagues has once again come into the spotlight after the IPL 2026 Auction on December 16 in Abu Dhabi. And this time, IPL chairman Arun Dhumal made all things clear with logical explanations.
Many have been questioning the BCCI’s stance not to allow the Indian players to participate in the overseas leagues. If someone wants to play in the foreign leagues, they have to retire from all forms of Indian cricket, including IPL. Some are slamming the board’s policy, given how far the IPL has come.
Why Indian players still can’t play overseas leagues?
The Indian T20 league has grown into a global powerhouse, and now the IPL no longer needs protection. Some even felt the tournament has reached a stage of maturity where allowing Indian players to feature in foreign leagues won’t weaken its appeal, but BCCI thinks otherwise.
Addressing this after the IPL 2026 Auction, Arun Dhumal explained why the BCCI is still not ready to open that door. He stressed that workload management remains the biggest issue, but they will think about this policy in the future; but, for now, there is no possibility of the change.
Apart from the IPL and India duty, the players are expected to feature in competitions like the Vijay Hazare Trophy, the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and other domestic events. With so much cricket already being played in India, and with huge fan interest in every format, Dhumal made it clear that there is simply no space left in the calendar for overseas leagues.
We will think about it over time: Arun Dhumal
Arun Dhumal told Vimal Kumar in Abu Dhabi, “See, we will think about it over time. We will see how this can be done in the future, but now our players have a lot of workload. For our players who are playing international cricket, the BCCI has a rule that they have to play domestic cricket as well. So, when so much cricket is happening in India, I think there is no opportunity for that.”
When the senior journalist suggested that the fear of losing the IPL’s uniqueness may no longer be valid, saying they can allow at least 3-4 top players to play in the overseas leagues. However, the IPL chairman stressed that protecting their top stars is still important.
Dhumal further explained that many Indian players are active across all three formats, which makes planning their schedules extremely difficult, as it could affect their fitness, increase fatigue, and distract them from national duties.
Read Also: Rajasthan Royals owner shuts down sale rumours, throws full weight behind Kumar Sangakkara
IPL Chairman clarifies BCCI’s strict policy on foreign leagues
The IPL chairman further noted. “There is no opportunity for big players. How will they go? Apart from IPL, they have a national duty as well and then domestic cricket rules too. Some players are playing in all formats. So, yes, that is also the reason.”
He pointed out that the fast bowlers, in particular, require careful management, and the BCCI already rotates players during Test series and limited-overs matches to prevent injuries and burnout. Dhumal said, “In our workload management, we give 2 test matches to our bowlers and rest on 3 games. You also rest them in ODIs as well (referring to Jasprit Bumrah’s case).”
With national commitments, the IPL, and mandatory domestic cricket already filling the calendar, Dhumal sees overseas leagues as a risk rather than an opportunity, saying it would only make things worse for both the board and players. He signed off by saying, “There is so much work to do. If you tell them to go out and play in leagues. I think it is a loss for the country.”
IPL Chairman on possibility top India players participating in foreign leagues . Interesting arguments by @ThakurArunS pic.twitter.com/FOxkk9AwGe
— Vimal कुमार (@Vimalwa) December 17, 2025
About the Author
Rashmi Wasnik is a passionate content writer with over a decade of experience. She started her journ...
