Hyderabad: Former India all-rounder Irfan Pathan on Sunday lauded the the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for imposing a two-year ban on players who declare their unavailability after being picked in the auction.
In a significant move that could reshape the dynamics of the Indian Premier League (IPL), which has history of playing pulling their name out of the competition after getting picked by the franchise in auction held at least three months before the start of the tournament. "Any player who registers in the player auction and after getting picked at the auction, makes himself unavailable before the start of the season, will get banned from participating in the tournament and player auction for 2 Seasons," the statement said.
Pathan, who has been vocal about this issue over the past two years has highlighted the growing strength and integrity of the IPL with this new regulation, expressed his approval on the decision through a social media. "Last two years I kept talking abt this. it's Great to see decision taken by BCCI! Players who declare unavailability after being picked in the auction will now face a two-year ban. The IPL is getting stronger in many ways," wrote Irfan Pathan on his X handle.
The implementation of this rule aims to address concerns about players withdrawing from the tournament after the auction, which often leaves teams scrambling to find suitable replacements. This step is expected to enhance the commitment of players towards the franchises that invest in them and ensure a more reliable and competitive tournament.
