India should play overseas leagues: Stephen Fleming
India’s massive defeat at the hands of England in the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 semi-final has sparked off a major debate ranging from captaincy to personnel change. Earlier India legend Anil Kumble opined that the BCCI must allow young players to participate in foreign leagues to gain exposure.
In the same vein, former New Zealand skipper and four-time IPL winning coach Stephen Fleming has backed the idea of Indian players participating in overseas T20 leagues. It must be noted that players such as Alex Hales, Jos Buttler, Wanindu Hasaranga and Rashid Khan among others have gained a plethora of exposure playing in foreign leagues such as the Caribbean Premier League (CPL), Pakistan Super League (PSL) and Australia’s Big Bash League (BBL).
“It may be something to consider when you listen to the commentators talk about Hales and his experience at the ground (Adelaide Oval). It seems like a number of these players who are playing around the world are getting really important experience from playing these domestic tournaments that they can then tap into and feel a lot more comfortable,” said Fleming on a cricket news website.
“It seems like a number of these players who are playing around the world are getting really important experience from playing these domestic tournaments that they can then tap into and feel a lot more comfortable. Things are done in a different way in different parts of the world. So, if you keep bolting, it’s like upgrading your phone. Every time you plug it in and get an upgrade you get another new tool,” added the former skipper.
Furthermore, as the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup is scheduled to be held in West Indies and the USA, Fleming further suggested that the CPL becomes vital for players to acclimatise to the conditions. “You look at the CPL which becomes more important with the next World Cup being there in the Caribbean, and how many players can you get put into that tournament to get an idea of conditions. It is an advantage,” he said.
