London, July 31: Indian men’s cricketers could soon grace English soil in The Hundred, according to England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) chairman Richard Thompson, who believes that the involvement of Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise owners in the competition will eventually pave the way for Indian players’ participation.
Speaking to BBC Test Match Special during the lunch break of the fifth Test between England and India at The Oval, Thompson called the recent sale of stakes in six of the eight Hundred franchises a transformative moment for English cricket. “It’s only a matter of time before Indian players play in The Hundred,” he said. “This is a great day for the game.”
While Indian women cricketers already feature in franchise competitions globally, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has long restricted its centrally contracted male players from taking part in overseas T20 leagues, including The Hundred. The only exception is for players who have fully retired from both international and domestic Indian cricket—such as Dinesh Karthik, who recently became the first Indian to appear in the SA20 league after hanging up his gloves.
However, the landscape may be shifting.
Of the six completed deals, three involve major IPL owners. Reliance Industries Ltd (Mumbai Indians) is set to acquire a 49% stake in Oval Invincibles, RPSG Group (Lucknow Super Giants) has secured 70% ownership in Manchester Originals, and Sun Group (Sunrisers Hyderabad) has taken full control of Northern Superchargers. Meanwhile, GMR Group, co-owners of Delhi Capitals, have purchased 49% of Southern Brave, whose remaining share lies with Hampshire County Cricket Club.
With IPL owners now deeply embedded in The Hundred and the English domestic season conveniently placed outside India’s cricket calendar, Thompson suggested the long-standing BCCI restriction could eventually be relaxed. “That four-week window in July and August is going to become the No. 1 competition in the Northern Hemisphere,” he said. (Agencies)
