Rahul Dravid: Allowing Indian players to feature in overseas T20 competitions "a huge challenge"

Speaking after India's 10-wicket defeat by England in their T20 World Cup semi-final, Dravid suggested that the issue stemmed from many such competitions taking place during the Indian domestic season

India head coach Rahul Dravid has admitted that his players would benefit from the opportunity to play on the franchise T20 circuit around the world but wouldn't want to do anything that might negatively impact the nation's Test cricket.

Since the establishment of the Indian Premier League, the BCCI has not allowed its players to take part in T20 tournaments abroad, and despite an enormous strength in depth, India haven't won the T20 World Cup since its inaugural edition, at which point the IPL didn't yet exist.

Speaking after India's 10-wicket defeat by England in their T20 World Cup semi-final, Dravid suggested that the issue stemmed from many such competitions taking place during the Indian domestic season.

"I think it's a huge challenge for us," he said. "Yes, I think a lot of our boys maybe do miss out on the opportunities of playing in a lot of these leagues.

"It's really up to the BCCI to make that decision, but the thing is it's right in the middle of our season, and with the kind of demand there would be for Indian players, if you allowed all the Indian players to play in these leagues, we would not have a domestic cricket. Our domestic trophy, our Ranji trophy would be finished, and that would mean Test cricket would be finished.

^{Dravid oversaw India's run to the T20 World Cup semi-final (Michael Errey/AFP via Getty Images)}

"We've seen what that's done to West Indian cricket, and I would definitely not want Indian cricket to go that way. It would certainly affect our Ranji trophy; it would affect Test cricket. Indian boys playing Test cricket is pretty important for the Test game, as well, I would think."

Alex Hales, who smashed an unbeaten 86 and was player of the match at Adelaide, has existed almost exclusively on a diet of franchise cricket since signing white-ball-only terms with Nottinghamshire four years ago, and it is no coincidence that such a successful return to the international fold has come in Australia, where he has been a regular in the Big Bash.

Hales added: "It's a shame the Indian guys don't get a chance to play in the different leagues. It would be good for everyone; it would benefit them and the leagues."

It isn't just Hales, though: nine of England's side for the semi-final have played in the Big Bash. Indeed, when Dawid Malan and Mark Wood were ruled out by injury on Thursday, England were able to replace them with Phil Salt and Chris Jordan, two men who have both played for Adelaide Strikers, with Adelaide Oval as their home ground.

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