Former India wicketkeeper-batsman KS Bharat is set to continue his cricket career in the UAE after being selected for a local tournament, just 15 days after announcing his retirement. Bharat retired from Indian cricket on 4 June at the age of 32, although he did not reveal the reason behind his decision.
Emirates Cricket Board has named KS Bharat in Team Stallions for the upcoming domestic competition. He will not be immediately eligible to represent the UAE national team. Under the current rules, India will have to complete a waiting period of eight months before qualifying for international selection with the UAE.
ECB launches innovative two-day white-ball championship
The Emirates Cricket Board will host a two-day white-ball tournament to improve the longer format skills of the UAE’s top male cricketers. The competition will begin at the ICC Academy Oval 1 in Dubai, with four teams competing under floodlights in a points-based format.
Each match will be played over two days, with a scheduled 80 overs per day and a new ball introduced every 40 overs. Teams will earn four points for a complete win, two points for taking a first innings lead and one bonus point for winning by 10 wickets or an innings.
The ECB Two-Day Championship 2026 is designed to help players develop the skills and mindset required for longer formats of the game. Batsmen will get a chance to build long innings and partnerships, while bowlers can work on consistency, stamina and maintaining pressure for long periods.
KS Bharat named in Team Stallions for ECB Two-Day Championship 2026
KS Bharat has been included in Team Stallions for the ECB Two-Day Championship 2026. Bharat is currently eligible to play domestic cricket in the UAE, but he cannot represent the national team until February 2027.
Under ICC rules, players moving from a Full Member country to an Associate country must complete a cooling-off period of three years. Bharat played his last international match for India in a Test against England in February 2024. He will be eligible for UAE selection only after the ban ends.
KS Bharat joins India’s Test squad after Rishabh Pant’s serious car accident. Bharat scored 221 runs and took 18 catches in seven Test matches and was part of India’s squad for the 2023 World Test Championship final.
He became the first wicketkeeper-batsman to score a triple century in Ranji Trophy when he scored 308 runs from 311 balls against Goa during the 2014–15 season. In domestic white-ball cricket, he scored 2,692 List A runs and 1,812 T20 runs.
ECB Two-Day Championship 2026 Squad
Team Eagles:
Aftab Alam, Alishan Sharafu, Awais Ahmed, Dhruv Parashar, Haider Ali, Muhammad Arfan, Muhammad Mohsin, Muhammad Shahdad, Muhammad Wasim, Saad Ali Rafi, Simranjeet Singh, Tanish Suri (wk), Zahid Ali.
Team Falcons:
Adeeb Usmani (Wicketkeeper), Aftab Javed, Awais Shah, Farhan Khan, Haider Razzaq, Harpreet Bhatia, Madhav Manoj, Muhammad Farzuddin, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawad, Neelansh Keswani, Novadiya Vijayakumara, Yayin Rai.
Team Leopards:
Ayan Afzal Khan, Albin Elias, Akshdeep Nath, Aryansh Sharma (wk), Ayan Misbah, Matiullah Khan, Muhammad Rohid, Muhammad Zuhaib, Nabil Aziz, Salman Saleem, Sohaib Khan, Vishnu Sukumaran, Zeeshan Naseer.
Team Stallions:
Ajay Kumar, Ali Naseer, Ansh Tandon, Harish Seth, Ibrar Ahmed, Jash Gayani, KS Bharat (wicketkeeper), Rahul Chopra, Samarth Seth, Syed Muhammad Haider Shah, Udish Suri, Vaibhav Govekar, Yug Sharma.
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