Former India batsman Robin Uthappa has become the first Indian to be signed up for the new franchise T20 league in the UAE, ILT20. Uthappa was followed by his former India and KKR teammate Yusuf Pathan, and both the players will feature in the tournament for Dubai Capitals.

Robin Uthappa retired from international and Indian cricket in September, thus becoming eligible to play in all leagues outside India. Uthappa was with CSK in the last couple of IPL seasons and won the title in 2021.

Earlier, the likes of Virender Sehwag (T10 League), Yuvraj Singh (Global T20 in Canada and T10 league), and Suresh Raina (T10 League) followed the same route because an Indian men’s cricketer has to retire from all forms of the game under BCCI and in India in order to play outside the country.

Speaking with ESPNcricinfo, Robin Uthappa highlighted his ambitions: “It is something I wanted to do [play in overseas T20 leagues]. Now that I have retired it gives me the opportunity. I consider myself a student of the game. So I will only be enriching my own knowledge and experience and information about the game when I go and play in different conditions in the world. Tomorrow if I want to be a coach, I should have some kind of stand when I am having a conversation with the lads. I believe all these experiences will add value to that.”

Change of rule in squad size allowed Robin Uthappa and Yusuf Pathan to get picked in ILT20

The participation of Uthappa and Pathan in the ILT20 hadn’t been on the cards, and it only occurred recently after the organizers increased the squad size from 18 to 25.

The initial recruitment rules stated that every franchise can have 18 players in the squad – 12 international, two associate,s and four local UAE players. However, the squad size was increased to 25 allowing each of the six teams to make further additions.

Both Robin Uthappa and Yusuf Pathan are big names in T20 cricket. Both won the 2007 T20 World Cup and IPL title with KKR. Uthappa won 2021 IPL with CSK too.

The Dubai Capitals franchise is owned by the GMR group which is the co-owner of IPL franchise Delhi Capitals.

Dubai Capitals Squad: Rovman Powell (West Indies), Robin Uthappa (India), Yusuf Pathan (India), Hazratullah Zazai (Afghanistan), Daniel Lawrence (England), George Munsey (Scotland), Bhanuka Rajapaksa (Sri Lanka), Niroshan Dickwella (Sri Lanka), Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe), Dasun Shanaka (Sri Lanka), Fabian Allen (West Indies), Isuru Udana (Sri Lanka), Mujeeb Ur Rahman (Afghanistan), Dushmantha Chameera (Sri Lanka), Fred Klaassen (Netherlands), Blessing Muzarabani (Zimbabwe).