Abhishek Bachchan voices for MS Dhoni's inclusion in ETPL after Rahul Dravid, Ravichandran among stalwarts join hands

Six years after retiring from international cricket, Mahendra Singh Dhoni continues to command unmatched fandom with actor and European T20 Premier League (ETPL) co-founder Abhishek Bachchan saying he would love to see the former India captain feature in the competition.

“Mahendra Singh Dhoni,” Bachchan replied instantly when asked which Indian cricketer he would most like to see in the ETPL and why. "Do you need a reason why you want to see Mahendra Singh Dhoni in cricket?" he told PTI from Dublin. Dhoni, who retired from international cricket in 2020, remains part of the Chennai Super Kings (CSK) squad but has not played this season due to a calf injury sustained before the tournament.

Under current BCCI regulations, only Indian male cricketers who have retired from all forms of cricket and the Indian Premier League (IPL) can participate in overseas T20 leagues in order to preserve the IPL's exclusivity and safeguard India's domestic cricket structure.

While admitting that the current Indian stars will be missed, Bachchan expressed confidence in the ETPL's quality and global appeal. "I think if your cricket is of top quality, people will come and watch. We would have loved to have the (current) Indian cricketers as part of the ETPL.

"But as we all know, Indian cricketers under contract with the BCCI are not permitted to play outside the IPL. We will miss them. It would have been wonderful to have them. I think outside of the Indian talent pool, we have the rest of the world's greatest cricketers who are coming and playing in the ETPL. So, I think we will be okay," he said.

When is inaugural ETPL starting?

The European T20 Premier League, scheduled to run from August 26 to September 20, is a newly launched franchise-based competition aimed at expanding cricket's footprint across Europe.

Former India cricketer and head coach Rahul Dravid has joined as co-owner of the Dublin Guardians franchise, while the likes of Steve Waugh, Jonty Rhodes and Glenn Maxwell are also among franchise owners.

Bachchan, who has previously invested in teams across the Indian Super League (Chennaiyin FC) and Pro Kabaddi League (Jaipur Panthers), said his love for cricket inspired his involvement in the ETPL.

"I'm a big cricket fan. That was the inspiration and also to get the opportunity to start a T20 league in Europe is a matter of huge pride and honour for me. "I'm very used to having started leagues of a sport which isn't the dominant sport in that market. Be it football, kabaddi or street cricket. It excites me. It gives you something to try and achieve," he said.

ETPL's vision & learnings from other franchise leagues

On concerns around the growing number of T20 leagues worldwide, Bachchan dismissed fears of oversaturation. "No, I don't think so. At the end of the day, you have to be a quality product. Your tournament has to be worthy of your fans and give them the kind of entertainment they want. If your cricket quality is good, they'll watch it."

Bachchan also said the T20 format aligns well with changing audience habits. "Time has become a great scarcity. But obviously, being a cricket fan, not much goes above Test cricket. That's the purest form of the game. But you have to keep in mind that the current generation doesn't really like to spend that kind of time. So, T20 is very exciting.

"I think it's a brilliant format," he said. On the ETPL's vision for nurturing local talent, Bachchan said each franchise would be required to include European and local players alongside established international stars.

"The idea is to create a funnel for local talent to come through and play. Each team has to have local talent and European players as well, and they get to play alongside some of the greats of the game," he said.

Asked about lessons from successful competitions such as the Indian Premier League and SA20, Bachchan emphasised the importance of entertainment and quality cricket. "If you see both of them, the fact that they play great, entertaining and exciting cricket is the only thing you should learn from them. If you have that, the rest will follow. The fact that they provide a great product to their fans is why they are so sustainable," he said.