Full list of Indian players selected in Major League Cricket Draft
The Major League Cricket Draft took place earlier today in the United States of America, where six teams formed their squads for the inaugural edition of MLC. Four of the six franchises are owned by teams that have an IPL franchise.
Mumbai Indians, Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Capitals, and Kolkata Knight Riders have invested in the USA's new league. The names of their teams are MI New York, Team Texas, Seattle Orcas, and Los Angeles Knight Riders. The other two teams are Washington Freedom and San Franciso Unicorns.
The USA is still growing as a cricketing nation and does not have too many top-tier local talents, but several international stars like Aaron Finch, Marcus Stoinis, Wanindu Hasaranga, Anrich Nortje, Quinton de Kock, and Mitchell Marsh will make the competition special.
Apart from that, several other cricketers who left their nation and joined the USA will also be in action.
Former South African speedster Rusty Theron, former New Zealand star Corey Anderson, former England pacer Liam Plunkett, and former Pakistan player Sami Aslam are some names who have earned contracts in the Major League Cricket Draft.
A few former Indian domestic cricketers have also made it to the Major League Cricket 2023 squads. Here is the complete list.
#1 Unmukt Chand - Los Angeles Knight Riders
The biggest Indian name to earn a contract was Unmukt Chand. The Los Angeles Knight Riders (LAKR) signed him at the MLC 2023 Draft. During his time as an active Indian cricketer, Chand played for three IPL franchises.
He made his debut for the Delhi Daredevils and then moved to the Rajasthan Royals and Mumbai Indians. Later this year, Chand will make his debut for LAKR.
#2 Harmeet Singh - Seattle Orcas
Harmeet Singh was the first draft pick in the Major League Cricket 2023. Seattle Orcas signed the all-rounder, who was born in Mumbai. He bats left-handed and bowls left-arm spin.
Like Unmukt Chand, Singh was a part of the Rajasthan Royals squad once during his IPL career. He even represented Mumbai and Tripura in domestic cricket.
#3 Tajinder Singh - San Francisco Unicorns
The San Francisco Unicorns snapped up former Indian all-rounder Tajinder Singh at the MLC 2023 Draft. Singh was born in Rajasthan and played domestic cricket for his home state.
The right-arm off-spin bowler represented a couple of franchises, namely Punjab Kings and Mumbai Indians, in the IPL.
#4 Chaitanya Bishnoi - San Francisco Unicorns
Chaitanya Bishnoi is a batting all-rounder from Delhi, who has been a member of the Chennai Super Kings squad from 2018 to 2019. He is a former IPL champion as well.
Bishnoi will don the San Francisco Unicorns jersey in MLC 2023. He has the experience of playing in 50 T20 matches.
#5 Saurabh Netravalkar - Washington Freedom
Saurabh Netravalkar captained India U-19s in the U-19 World Cup 2010. Current Indian superstars KL Rahul and Mayank Agarwal played under his leadership for India U-19s.
While Rahul and Agarwal are now among the highest-paid players in the IPL, Netravalkar has retired from Indian cricket. He has joined the USA team and will play for Washington Freedom in the Major League Cricket.
#6 Sarabjeet Ladda - MI New York
Sarabjeet Ladda is a former Indian leg-break bowler, who played for the Delhi Daredevils, Gujarat Lions and Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. Ladda also represented Punjab at the domestic level.
The 36-year-old has now moved to the United States. He will make his Major League Cricket debut for MI New York.
#7 Smit Patel - San Francisco Unicorns
Smit Patel was a member of the India U-19s squad that lifted the ICC U-19 World Cup 2012 under Unmukt Chand's captaincy. Like Chand, Patel has now left India and settled in the USA.
Patel played for the Barbados Royals in the Caribbean Premier League. He will represent San Francisco Unicorns in the MLC.
#8 Milind Kumar - Team Texas
Former Delhi Daredevils and Royal Challengers Bangalore player Milind Kumar was picked up by Team Texas at the Major League Cricket 2023 Draft. Kumar is an off-spin bowling all-rounder.
He has played 58 T20 matches in his career, scoring 1,176 runs and scalping five wickets. It will be interesting to see how he performs in the Major League Cricket.