Big Bash League: Indian players would take competition to next level, writes Allan Border

THE Big Bash League is a fabulous product, but it would be great to see a sprinkling of Indian players in the competition, writes Allan Border.

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THE Big Bash League is a fabulous product, but it would be great to see a sprinkling of Indian players in the competition.

While I am a big fan of the Big Bash in its current format, having some Indians and a few more international players from other countries would really lift it to the next level.

No Big Bash franchise has ever signed an Indian player because the Indian Board is extremely protective of the Indian Premier League.

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Many Indian players are effectively prohibited from playing in the Big Bash and they would not want to anger their powerful board.

Tying to get an Indian player released to play in the Big Bash seems almost impossible.

Indian players Umesh Yadav, Rohit Sharma, R. Jadeja, Shikhar Dhawan, Ajinkya Rahane, Virat Kohli, MS Dhoni, R. Ashwin prepare for the tri-series.

Maybe it is time for Cricket Australia to go to work behind the scenes and see if there can be some deal done to get a few Indians in the Big Bash.

That would certainly help the status of the competition and also encourage more overseas players to be a part of it.

It would also be great if the Aussie stars could be released to play a game or two for their Big Bash franchises.

Everyone understands this is going to be difficult because there is some pretty hectic summer scheduling and I don’t think officials would want to change the timing of the Big Bash. I certainly understand the Aussie players need to have a small break from playing cricket.

Virat Kohli would raise the profile of the BBL, according to Allan Border.

However there is a counter-argument that rather than having a week off, it might be best for the bowlers to send down four overs in a Big Bash game to keep their engines ticking over and it could be best for the batsmen to play an occasional Big Bash game to keep their eye in.

The issue of the availability of Australian and international players is a tough one but I think that to make the Big Bash really flourish we need to encourage a few more internationals and hopefully get the Aussie stars on deck occasionally.

GO EASY ON LAW

BRISBANE Heat coach Stuart Law has copped a bit of flak but he has done his absolute best this season.

Apart from Thursday night’s terrific win over Hobart, the Heat season was very disappointing and Law’ probably felt it harder than anyone.

He openly admits to a lack of sleep, trying to conjure up something and wondering what the right buttons are to push with the players.

We were poor in plenty of areas and one thing we really missed was a strike bowler.

We didn’t have a Pat Cummins, a James Pattinson or a Brett Lee to put rival sides on the back foot.

The post mortem of the Heat’s season has already started and I am confident we will come up with something bigger and better for next season.

BEWARE THE BLACK CAPS

AUSTRALIA is deserved World Cup favourites but I think our main rivals could be our friends from across the ditch.

I have been watching New Zealand pretty closely over the past 12 months and there is a really good vibe about them.

Captain Brendon McCullum has been in the form of his life and he has given a lot of confidence to the Black Caps.

The Kiwis will fly under the radar as usual because they are never favourites at anything apart from rugby.

Let’s not forget they will be playing most of the tournament on their home grounds in New Zealand and it can be very difficult for other sides to play over there.

I do think Australia will be hard to toss though.

We have the perfect preparation playing this tri-series against two good sides in India and England.

Any kinks in Australia’s game should be ironed out over the next few weeks.

Originally published as Big Bash League: Indian players would take competition to next level, writes Allan Border