Indian players in SLPL a possibility - BCCI

BCCI president N Srinivasan has said that Indian players could participate in the newly launched Sri Lanka Premier League (SLPL), if the hosts make such a proposal. The tournament will be held between August 10 and 31 this year at Colombo and Pallekele. Each of the seven provincial teams will be allowed a maximum of six overseas players in their squads and four in their playing XI.

"Last time around, there were specific reasons why the BCCI could not support the tournament," Srinivasan said. "And we informed the Sri Lankan board at that time.

"This time, if there are any proposals made, we will examine it. And we have to be satisfied that the doubts and problems we had last time will not continue."

Last year's event was scheduled to kick off on July 19, with the final to be played on August 6. The tournament hit its first hurdle when the BCCI decided to withhold its permission to allow Indian players to take part on the grounds that Somerset Entertainment Ventures, which owned the commercial rights, would be handling the contracts for international players and that it could lead to complications, should disputes arise over payments.

In order to assuage the BCCI, SLC was willing to back the Indian players' contracts so that their financial interests were protected, but that was not enough to satisfy the BCCI. The tournament had to be postponed.

Srinivasan chose not to comment on why the deal collapsed last year. The success of the Indian Premier League has led to the mushrooming of similar Twenty20 leagues in Bangladesh and Australia. However, Indian players have been absent from both.