Yusuf Pathan, Yuzvendra Chahal sign up for TNPL

Robin Bist, who plays the local league in Tamil Nadu, has also signed the draft for the TNPL. Krunal Pandya and Hardik Pandya may also feature in the final draft.

Published : Jun 14, 2017 19:25 IST

Yusuf Pathan is hoping to be part of the Tamil Nadu Premier League this year.
Yusuf Pathan is hoping to be part of the Tamil Nadu Premier League this year.
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Yusuf Pathan is hoping to be part of the Tamil Nadu Premier League this year.

In its inaugural edition last year, the Tamil Nadu Premier League (TNPL) had missed out on the star quotient as the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) didn’t allow the outstation players to participate in the league.

But with the league gaining huge popularity, things have changed in the second year and the franchises are looking to include outstation players. To add gloss to the tournament, Yusuf Pathan has decided to register himself for the draft.

"I was approached by a few teams and that's when I decided to be a part of the draft," Yusuf confirmed to Sportstar on Wednesday.

While some of the franchises also approached Yusuf's younger brother Irfan, the latter opted out citing personal reasons.

After a rather disappointing Indian Premier League (IPL) season with the Kolkata Knight Riders, Yusuf is looking forward to finding his form. And for that, the TNPL could be a good opportunity. “That is precisely the reason I agreed to play the TNPL. Any cricket is good for me at this stage. My target is to play to my strength,” Yusuf said.

He, however, is not too sure about how things will pan out finally. "I would love to play following all the BCCI guidelines. Let's see how it goes," Yusuf said.

Not just Yusuf, right-arm leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal too has signed the draft.

Confirming the development, Chahal told Sportstar that he is looking forward to playing in the TNPL. "I have registered myself as one of the players for the league and I am looking forward to giving my best," Chahal said. But then, as he registered himself for the TNCA league, he might be considered as a local player.

Robin Bist, who plays the local league in Tamil Nadu, has also signed the draft for the TNPL. "Since a lot of players will be there, it would be a good experience," he said.

Sources close to the development indicated that Pandya brothers — Krunal and Hardik — may also feature in the final draft. There has been no official confirmation yet.

Last season, quite a few outstation players had initially agreed to be a part of the league, but things didn’t work out as BCCI refused to give permission to the players. With the last day of registration extended till Thursday, a clearer picture will only be available once the outstation registration process gets over.

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