India batsman VVS Laxman could be barred from playing county cricket for Nottinghamshire because of their ICL players.
So-called ICL rebel row rumbles on
India batsman VVS Laxman could be barred from playing county cricket for Nottinghamshire because of their ICL players.
Laxman was announced by Nottinghamshire as their overseas player earlier this month as a replacement for Adam Voges, who will play his last game for the county in August.
However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India's stance against the Indian Cricket League may mean Laxman is prevented from playing in England.
BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah suggested on Thursday the board would not allow their players to feature in teams alongside so-called ICL rebels.
But BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla has now gone one step further, saying on
CNN-IBN: "We will not allow our players to play in tournaments where there are already ICL players."
The BCCI's new stance came to light when Shah revealed spinner Piyush Chawla would not be allowed to join Hampshire because of their ICL players.
"Piyush Chawla will not be going (to Hampshire) because there are a few ICL players in that team," he told
www.cricketnirvana.com.
He then added: "Even Laxman won't be allowed to go to Nottinghamshire."
The ICL-player issue has also clouded the proposed Champions League, with the Indian Premier League refusing to allow English county clubs with links to it to participate.
Fifteen of the 18 county clubs have players who participated in the inaugural ICL last year.
Talks between IPL and ECB officials on the issue have failed to progress, leaving the Champions League in doubt.
Shukla added: "I can only say that talks are still on with the English Cricket Board on the Champions League and the issue of ICL players.
"Deliberations are going on, but we will not let ICL players participate in these tournaments."
