The long-running debate over whether Indian players should be allowed to play in overseas T20 leagues has once again come into limelight following the IPL 2026 auction in Abu Dhabi on December 16. And this time IPL Chairman Arun Dhumal made everything clear with logical explanation.
Many people are questioning the BCCI’s stance of not allowing Indian players to participate in foreign leagues. If someone wants to play in a foreign league, he will have to retire from all forms of Indian cricket including IPL. Some people are criticizing the board’s policy, considering how far the IPL has progressed.
Why are Indian players still not able to play foreign leagues?
The Indian T20 league has become a global powerhouse and the IPL no longer needs protection. Some also believe that the tournament has reached a stage of maturity where allowing Indian players to play in foreign leagues will not weaken its appeal, but the BCCI thinks otherwise.
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Addressing this after the IPL 2026 auction, Arun Dhumal explained why BCCI is still not ready to open that door. They stressed that workload management remains the biggest issue, but they will think about this policy in the future; But, at present there is no possibility of change.
Apart from IPL and India duty, the players are expected to participate in competitions like Vijay Hazare Trophy, Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and other domestic events. There is already a lot of cricket being played in India, and with huge fan interest in every format, Dhumal made it clear that there is no room left in the calendar for foreign leagues.
We will consider it with time: Arun Dhumal
“Look, we will think about it with time. We will see how it can be done in the future, but right now the workload on our players is very high. For our players who are playing international cricket, the BCCI has a rule that they have to play domestic cricket as well. So, when so much cricket is happening in India, I think there is no opportunity for it,” Arun Dhumal told Vimal Kumar in Abu Dhabi.
When the senior journalist suggested that the fear of losing the exclusivity of the IPL may no longer be valid, he said that they could allow at least 3-4 top players to play in foreign leagues. However, the IPL chairman stressed that the safety of his top stars is still important.
Dhumal further explained that many Indian players are active in all three formats, making it extremely difficult to plan their schedules, as it can affect their fitness, increase fatigue and distract them from national duties.
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IPL Chairman clarifies BCCI’s strict policy on foreign leagues
IPL Chairman further said. “There is no opportunity for the big players. How will they go? Apart from the IPL, they also have national duty and then there are the rules of domestic cricket. Some players are playing in all formats. So, yes, that is the reason also.”
He pointed out that fast bowlers in particular require careful management, and the BCCI already rotates players during Test series and limited-overs matches to prevent injuries and burnouts. “In our workload management, we give our bowlers 2 Test matches and rest in 3 matches. You also rest them in ODIs (referring to Jasprit Bumrah’s case),” Dhumal said.
With national commitments, the IPL and mandatory domestic cricket already filling the calendar, Dhumal sees overseas leagues as a risk rather than an opportunity, saying it would only make things worse for both the board and the players. He signed off by saying, “There’s still a lot of work to do. If you ask them to go out and play in the league. I think it’s a loss for the country.”
IPL Chairman has expressed the possibility of top players of India participating in foreign leagues. interesting argument by @ThakurArunS pic.twitter.com/FOxkk9AwGe
-Vimal Kumar (@vimalva) 17 December 2025