If there are 10 teams, you got to have 5 foreign players per side in IPL, advocates Sanjay Manjrekar

The Indian Premier League in all likelihoods will go through a major expansion in season 15 of the tournament. Not only, a mega auction will take place, but two teams are also likely to be added to the cash-rich league that will make it 10 teams in the league. 

However, former Indian cricketer Sanjay Manjrekar feels that there should be more changes than that for the 2022 IPL as the number of overseas players per side should be increased to five from four that is currently the norm in the tourney. Manjrekar further opined that even if five overseas players feature in the XI, there would be 10 Indian players in the squad of each of the teams, which is more than enough. 

“If IPL is going with 10 teams then you got to have five foreign players per side. Despite that, you will have 10 Indian players playing in the XI. They are a lot of Indian players," Manjrekar told ESPNcricinfo, reported HT.

He feels that it's very unfortunate that many quality foreign players have to sit out just because of this rule that doesn't allow more than four players in the XI.

"When there was no IPL, T20, or 50-over cricket, only 13-14 players in the 70s or 80s played at the highest level and that’s where you got the cream of Indian players playing."

"You already have plenty of Indian players and it is a shame to see some quality foreign players sitting out only because they can’t play more than four. So even if we go five foreign players, plenty of Indian players will get the opportunity," he further said.

The former Indian cricketer signed off by saying 60 Indian players in the league won't be less by any stretch of the imagination and there shouldn’t be pressure on the organizers to play more local players.

"I don’t think it will a pressure that organisers feel that this is an Indian Premier League and got to have more and more Indian players and less foreign players. 60 is plenty," he signed off.