No foreign players in domestic cricket

Mumbai:

Indian domestic tournaments will not see any foreign player in action from the 2009-10 season, the BCCI's Technical Committee decided here on Wednesday.

The Committee comprising Sunil Gavaskar, Sourav Ganguly, K Srikkanth and Chetan Chauhan took a number of decisions to improve the standards of domestic cricket.

The Committee was of the view that the Board should talk to its contracted players and ensure that they represent their respective state sides when not playing for India. They also said only three guest players should be permitted in a state squad, as per rules.

The former cricketers also were of the opinion that the Ranji Trophy knockout matches should be played on a Home and Away basis, as opposed to the neutral venue system, which was in place for the last two seasons. The wickets for the knockout games would be under the charge of the BCCIs Pitch and Grounds Committee member from the zone in question.

A special committee comprising Sunil Gavaskar, Chetan Chauhan, Sourav Ganguly and K Srikkanth should go through the pitch reports of the domestic match referees. The Committee also approved the format for assessment of pitches for domestic tournaments.

The changing of the ball should be made mandatory after 35 overs in one-day games, and the Powerplay rules that are in place for international cricket, should be applied to the domestic circuit. The Committee expressed concern overthe quality of the SG Test balls being used in domestic tournaments.