BCCI agrees to allow ICL players into Indian team

In a surprise decision, the Indian Cricket Board on Wednesday agreed to lift ban on players associated with the rebel ICL if they severed their links with the Subhash Chandra-owned League.

BCCI President Shashank Manohar said the decision was taken after some ICL players and their support staff met the Board members and admitted committing mistake by joining the rebel League.

Manohar made it clear that the players would not be given any international assignments for a year after they quit the ICL but can immediately start playing in the domestic competition. The amnesty period is till May 31, he said.

"We have decided to grant amnesty to the ICL players and welcome them to return to the BCCI fold... The players will not be given any international assignment for one year after they quit the ICL as a punishment. But they can play in the domestic competitions. They have been given the amnesty time till May 31," Manohar told reporters after BCCI's Working Committee meeting here.

The Indian Cricket League (ICL), which boasts of names Brian Lara, Inzamam-ul Haq and Shane Bond in its ranks, was launched by Zee Group owner Subhash Chandra after India's debacle in the ODI World Cup in the West Indies in 2007.

But the BCCI, which shortly after came up with the Indian Premier League, refused to recognise the ICL and announced a ban on players associated with the 'rebel' League.

The BCCI also advised the other national boards to have a similar approach to the ICL, which had become a home for many disgruntled players from across the world.

The ICL, which had India's only World Cup winning captain Kapil Dev as the Chairman of its Executive body, made repeated attempts to be authorized by the BCCI and the International Cricket Association only to be turned down on every occasion.

The ICC had also refused to entertain ICL application earlier this month.

The ICL decided not to stage its 2009 edition after Mumbai terror attacks, citing security reasons.

Wallpapers of Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Biography of Mahendra Singh Dhoni

D.O.B: 7th July, 1981
Place of Birth: Ranchi, Bihar
Nickname: Mahi

Cricketing information

Role: Captain of the Indian ODI and Twenty20 team and Vice captain of the Test team
Batting style: Right hand batsman
Bowling style: Right arm medium
Field position: Wicketkeeper
Clubs played: Jharkhand

Mahendra Singh Dhoni started his first class career in the year 1999-2000. His one day international debut came after playing five years of first class cricket on the 23rd of December 2004 against Bangladesh. The venue of the match was in Chittagong, Bangladesh. Unfortunately, he was run out on the first ball he faced. It wasn’t a great debut for him where batting is concerned. Luck wasn’t on his side in the first four matches he played. Where as on the fifth match which was played against Pakistan in Visakhapatnam, Dhoni came to the crease one down and managed to score 148 runs from just 123 balls. He hit 15 boundaries and four sixes. He got his first man of the match award that day. Not only a good wicketkeeper but Dhoni proved himself to be a first class batsman too. He is one of the few finest wicketkeeper batsman India has seen after a very long time.

On the 31st of October, Dhoni broke the record of highest runs scored by a wicket keeper by securing 183 runs against Srilanka which was played at Jaipur. Adam Gilchrist was the former record holder with 172 runs.

Before he started playing cricket, he was a football goalkeeper. Its said he drinks around four litres of milk everyday but he denied it by saying that has been exaggerated a bit. He said he loves milk and drinks around a litre on a daily basis.

On the 2nd of December 2005, Dhoni made his Test cricket debut against Srilanka which was played in Chennai, India.

Personal profile

Dhoni was born and brought up in the city of Ranchi. He has two siblings. A sister who is married and a brother who lives in Almora. Almora is a high-lying town at the foot of the Himalaya which is his father’s home town. His father’s name is Pan Singh and mother’s name is Devki Devi.

His hobbies and interests include:

• Hearing music, ghazals and songs by Lata Mangeshkar and Kishore Kumar

• Loves to ride bikes

• Enjoys playing computer games and badminton

Not interested in:

• English songs

• Working out at gyms

Special qualities:

• Thinks positive

• Highly confident about himself

• Is aggressive on the field

His Idol:

• Adam Gilchrist