5 Indian cricket stars who have played in foreign leagues
Former Rajasthan Royals spin bowler Pravin Tambe recently grabbed everyone's attention by becoming the first Indian player to earn a contract from a Caribbean Premier League (CPL) franchise. Trinbago Knight Riders drafted the 48-year-old leg-spinner into their team during the CPL 2020 Draft last evening.
It is worth noting that Tambe had earlier received a bid from the Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL Auction 2020. However, the BCCI ruled him out of the tournament as he had earlier been a part of a foreign league.
Indian cricket stars in foreign leagues
Recently, experienced Indian cricket team players like Suresh Raina and Irfan Pathan had voiced their opinions that BCCI should allow the discarded players of the Indian cricket team to participate in the foreign leagues. As per the policy of the Indian cricket governing body, an active Indian player cannot play in overseas competitions if he is playing in the IPL.
Even if the player does not find a place in any IPL franchise, he has to obtain a special NOC from the board to play in other tournaments. Very few Indian cricket players have managed to achieve this feat. Here's a look at the five Indian cricketers who have played in foreign leagues.
#5 Pravin Tambe
Pravin Tambe went unsold in the IPL Auctions of 2018 and 2019 after Sunrisers Hyderabad released him. He signed up for the UAE T10 League in 2018 and achieved a lot of success in the shortest format of the sport. Tambe became the first bowler to take a five-wicket haul in T10 matches while playing for the Sindhis.
After his impressive performances, the leg-spinner became a part of Kolkata Knight Riders in IPL 2020, but the BCCI disqualified him. He has moved to the Caribbean now as he will turn up for the Trinbago Knight Riders in CPL 2020.
#4 Yuvraj Singh
One of the best all-rounders to have played for the Indian cricket team, Yuvraj Singh announced his retirement last year. After declaring his decision to hang up his boots, Yuvraj obtained a NOC from BCCI to play in the Global T20 Canada tournament. He played for the Toronto Nationals in that competition.
A few months later, the former Kings XI Punjab skipper played for the Maratha Arabians in the Abu Dhabi T10 League. The Maratha squad had the likes of Dwayne Bravo, Lasith Malinga, and Chris Lynn. Eventually, they won the tournament, adding one more achievement to Singh's name.