Thilanga Sumathipala requests BCCI to allow its non contracted players to play in Lanka premier league
With the SLC is planning to launch its own Lanka Premier League, President Thilanga Sumathipala has requested the BCCI to allow the non contracted to take part in the league later this year. He also said that no youngster can become an International star unless he takes part in premier tournaments.
SLC has finally decided to launch its Lankan Premier League in August 2018. The BCCI has always been reluctant in sending their star players to any of the T20 leagues around the world. The SLC president has requested BCCI to at least allow their non-contracted players to take part in the LPL.
“We would like BCCI to allow players who are outside the 30 contracted players list to play. I’m making my appeal to the BCCI. I can understand the contracted top players playing for the country should be protected and there are 100 of talented players in India. They have time after IPL. We are 20 million but we allow our players to play outside. I think Indian players should allow player outside their top 30,” said Sumathipala reported The Indian Express.
BCCI who have always requested other boards to send their star players to participate in the IPL but have never allowed any uncapped or capped player to participate in a similar tournament around the globe. The SLC president called the nature of BCCI unfair.
“In fairness to the BCCI, India’s top players will have to play all formats. It’s a fairly big load. So you can’t allow them to play elsewhere. My position is if they say “these are my top 30-40 players”, it’s fine, but there will be players who would have played 5-6 ODIs and not playing now, you are depriving them of opportunities, especially when there is no cricket in India. And there are players who have retired,” said the SLC president.
With the emergence of various leagues around the globe, many local stars have made it through to the national team while performing well in those leagues. Glenn Maxwell made his name in the BBL and his performances there allowed him to make a cut to the Australian national team.
Many Indian players like Manish Pandey, Axar Patel, Kuldeep Yadav, etc made their way into the National team by performing exceptionally well for their franchises in the IPL. Had there had been no BBL and IPL, then one might not have been able to see the likes of Glenn Maxwell, Kuldeep Yadav, etc in international cricket.
“No national boy will become an international star if there are no premier tournaments,” concluded the 53-year-old.