IndiaPost.com - ICL unveils its first pool of 51 players

MUMBAI: The Indian Cricket League received a shot in the arm with four Pakistani Tests players joining the multi-million dollar venture but failed to woo any current Indian Test cricketer in its initial list of 51 players.

The Essel Group's ICL, which has already signed batting great Brian Lara as its first major catch, added the names of former Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul Haq and prolific middle order batsman Mohammad Yousuf besides all-rounder Abdul Razzaq and left-handed batsman Imran Farhat.

The decision to join the breakaway league was almost certain to end the career of the four Pakistani cricketers with their Board saying that they will not be considered for future selection in the national team. Also joining the rebel league, were South Africans Nicky Boje, who has refused to visit India with his country's official team twice earlier because of apprehensions that he will be questioned by the Delhi police over his alleged role in the match-fixing scandal, and Lance Klusener.

The names of the 51 cricketers was announced by the Essel Group at a crowded press conference in Mumbai, just a day before the Cricket Board's Special Annual General Body Meeting to take a decision on the ICL. Dinesh Mongia, Deep Dasgupta, the axed Bengal Test stumper, his teamate Laxmi Ratan Shukla, Punjab's ODI discard Reetinder Singh Sodhi and ex-internationals Thiru Kumaran of Tamil Nadu and Jai Prakash Yadav of Railways were among the 44 Indian first-class players to align with the ICL.

Barely an hour after the names were formally announced, Pakistan Cricket Board reacted sharply to the development and made it clear that the four cricketers could no longer play for the national team.

"We don't know about our players signing for the Indian League but we affirm our policy of not selecting players in future in case they join the League," PCB's Chief Operating Officer Shafqat Naghmi said in Lahore.

Although the organizers refused to divulge the financial details, it is learnt that the Pakistani players have been offered a whopping Rs. 80 lakh per season besides performance incentives. An average Indian domestic player is being offered Rs. 30 lakh per year, which is six times more than what they might earn if they played all the Ranji Trophy matches in a year.

Former India skipper Kapil Dev, Chairman of the ICL's Executive Board, said that initially the League would only have a Twenty20 event but 50-over and three-day matches would soon follow.

Kapil also said the ICL would allow its players to represent India if and when they were needed.

"We are not going to take action against anybody. All the (Indian) boys are available to play for the country," he said when asked what will be ICL's reaction if the BCCI goes ahead with its threat and bans these players.

On whether the ICL will attract sponsors, Himanshu Mody, the Business Head of the ICL, said "the sponsors want people to deliver and we will provide good entertainment and good cricket to watch".

Former India spinner Erapalli Prasanna also broke ranks with the BCCI to join the ICL though it was not clear in what capacity. While most of the overseas players were either retired or had virtually no chance of representing their country, the signing of Yousuf comes as a surprise as he is still a member of Pakistan team.

Being overlooked for the national captaincy and dropped from the squad for the Twenty-20 World Cup may have prompted the stylish middle order batsman to join the league.

With the Indian Cricket Board making it clear that players aligning with the rebel league would be barred from playing for the country, many of the Ranji Trophy teams have been hit hard by the exodus just before the start of the new season.

Hyderabad, which has lost as many as eight of its players, and Bengal have been the worst hit sides while Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Punjab have lost a few of its key players.

Kiran More, former India wicketkeeper and chief selector, said the ICL was a complete package aimed at making youngsters play for the country.

"It is not that we are going to produce players in one-year. It will take 4-5 years to groom them and we have our format ready for that. We will have well balanced teams which will be an important factor in grooming them," More said.