Punjab Kings co-owner Mohit Burman has called overseas-player availability in the IPL a “sensitive” matter, arguing that the BCCI, national boards and other key stakeholders must do more to ensure foreign stars are present for the duration of the tournament. His comments come amid ongoing concerns that even after players are bought at auction, major names can miss parts of the season due to international calendar congestion and clearance delays.
Key takeaways
- Mohit Burman said the IPL ecosystem needs better coordination so overseas players are available across the tournament window.
- The BCCI has a two-year ban for foreign players who withdraw after being bought at auction, with an exception for injured players.
- Burman cited Mitchell Starc’s late clearance by Cricket Australia, which meant Delhi Capitals’ prospects had already taken a hit.
- Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood also missed the start of the IPL for their respective sides due to niggles.
- Punjab Kings’ co-owner stressed that franchises need clarity early, otherwise planning becomes difficult for teams investing heavily at auction.
Burman calls for clearer commitments on availability
Burman highlighted that international cricket schedules are packed and that players have responsibilities to their national boards, making the issue complicated. Still, he believes that once a cricketer agrees to represent a franchise, there should be maximum clarity about when they will be available.
From a franchise perspective, he pointed out that it becomes challenging to plan when key overseas players are absent for significant parts of the competition, despite being central auction purchases. He added that supporters expect marquee names to feature from the beginning of the season, which increases pressure on teams and organizers to align schedules in advance.
Rather than treating the problem as a confrontation between parties, Burman urged collaboration across the board. He said the BCCI, franchises, the players themselves, and international governing bodies must work together to line up calendars and set clearer commitments, noting that he holds a 48 percent stake in the Punjab franchise.
Starc, Cummins and Hazlewood cited as examples
Burman’s remarks referenced the situation with Mitchell Starc, who was only cleared by Cricket Australia for the second half of the tournament. By that stage, the situation for Delhi Capitals was already “more or less sealed,” underscoring how delayed availability can affect a team’s momentum.
He also mentioned that Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood were not available for their respective IPL teams from the start of the tournament, with both absences linked to niggles.
Badani’s earlier frustration over late overseas clearances
Earlier in the month, Delhi Capitals head coach Hemang Badani had voiced his dissatisfaction about player availability—particularly when the player is a major match-winner such as Starc. Badani said that ideally he would want his squad to be ready from day one, but that decisions made by associations and governing bodies limit what coaches and franchises can change.
He further explained that if Cricket Australia does not release a player—something that also applied in the cases of Hazlewood and Pat Cummins—then there is little that either a coach or the franchise can do. Badani said he hopes a solution can be found for the future to prevent such delays from recurring.
