WEST INDIAN cricketers seeking to play in the next edition of the lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL) won’t be allowed to have agents or players’ associations representing their interests.
If they do, they will be prohibited from playing in the tournament.
In a new policy, the IPL will deal only with national associations and boards.
The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), acting on the advice of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), announced yesterday that any Caribbean cricketer with an interest in playing in the IPL during the next three seasons must do so through the WICB only.
The BCCI/IPL, as per its IPL rules, will not have any communication with player agents or managers and will only deal directly with the national boards/associations,” the WICB said in a media release.
“While the BCCI/IPL will initially contact all players who have previously played in the IPL directly to determine their interest, all subsequent arrangements (for West Indian players), will be done through the WICB only.
“Players who fail to abide by the rules will have their names withdrawn from the IPL auction register.”
In order to express interest, West Indian players, whether having played for the West Indies team or not and whether under contract to the WICB or not, must send an email from their personal email accounts to the WICB indicating their interest.
The email must be in a specific format, which is available on www.windiescricket.com or from WICB player relations officer Ayana Cooper via email.
The deadline for the submission of expressions of interest from players to the WICB is 5 p.m on Tuesday.
Upon receipt of all expressions of interest, the WICB will create a register of all West Indian players who are interested in participating in the IPL and submit it to the BCCI/IPL. The BCCI/IPL will then enter the names into the IPL auction register and send to the respective IPL franchises.
Each franchise will select the players they would like to be entered into the auction. The BCCI/IPL will then notify the WICB of all West Indian players selected and the WICB will notify those players.
“The BCCI/IPL will send all agreements to the WICB and the WICB will bear sole responsibility for issuing these to the players for their review and acceptance or otherwise,” the WICB said.
The next IPL auction will be held in Mumbai on a date to be confirmed.
In previous seasons, leading West Indian players have participated in the league.
In the inaugural auction in 2008, Chris Gayle was purchased by the Kolkatta Knight Riders for US$800 000, while Kieron Pollard attracted a US$750 000 price tag from the Mumbai Indians last season.
Other West Indians who have played in the IPL are Dwayne Bravo, Adrian Barath, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Fidel Edwards, Kemar Roach, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Dwayne Smith.
Jerome Taylor had been secured by an IPL franchise but was unable to take part due to injury. (HG/PR)
