IPL 2020: KKR’s Pravin Tambe Disqualified By BCCI For Playing In T10 League

The left-arm spinner became the oldest ever cricketer to be sold at the auctions in December 2019 when two-time champs KKR fetched him at his base price of Rs 20 lakh.

Pravin Tambe (Rajasthan Royal Twitter Handle)

48-year-old seasoned spin bowler Pravin Tambe, who was roped in by Kolkata Knight Riders at the IPL auctions last month, will not be participating in the upcoming edition of the tournament. As per a report from the Indian Express, the veteran cricketer appears to have violated BCCI policies by participating in a foreign league, without officially announcing his retirement. Tambe had played for Sindhis in the Abu Dhabi T10 League last year. The new IPL chairman Brijesh Patel reportedly confirmed Tambe’s ineligibility to Indian Express. “He (Tambe) wont be allowed to play IPL,” Patel told The Indian Express. “He (Tambe) won’t be allowed other wise we have to allow everyone.” “The board only allow players to play in one day, three day, four day and county cricket and each player has to seek BCCI and respective state association’s no-objection certificate,” he added. The left-arm spinner became the oldest ever cricketer to be sold at the auctions in December 2019 when two-time champs KKR fetched him at his base price of Rs 20 lakh. Tambe has already played 33 IPL matches in four seasons between 2013 and 2016. He has featured for three different franchises - Rajasthan Royals, Gujarat Lions and Sunrisers Hyderabad during his IPL stint. In his IPL career, Tambe took a total of 28 wickets, 15 of which came in 2014, when he played for Rajasthan Royals. After being bought by KKR for the 2020 season, Tambe said that he still feels like a 20-year-old. “I still play with a mindset like I am a 20-year-old young,” he had told news agency PTI in December. “I will bring all my experience and energy to the team. And that positivity. I know that I can bring that, even if I’m with them not playing. I will like to do well in whatever role given to me be it in fielding or bowling. It’s not to prove anything. If that was the case, I could not have played so long. I’m really excited to play for them,” he had added. It still remains to be seen whether KKR decided to bring in a replacement player in place of Tambe.