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Former RCB Star Registers For BBL Draft; Only Indian To Be Part Of 600 Players List

Abhinav Tyagi

Siddharth Kaul - (Source :@Johns/X.com)Siddharth Kaul - (Source :@Johns/X.com)

On Thursday, June 19, the much-awaited Big Bash League (BBL) draft will take place in Melbourne. More than 600 players from around the world have registered for the drafts, including high-profile names such as James Anderson and Jofra Archer.

Interestingly, an Indian star has also entered the fray. Siddarth Kaul, who was Virat Kohli’s teammate in the Under-19 World Cup-winning squad, is the only Indian male player to have made himself available for the draft. It is worth noting that out of the 600 registrants, only 445 shortlisted stars will be available for selection in the draft on Thursday.

How Has Siddarth Kaul Registered for the Draft?

For the uninitiated, the BCCI does not allow active Indian players to participate in overseas leagues. However, retired players are permitted to feature in T20 tournaments outside India. Kaul, who struggled to establish himself in the national team, announced his retirement from international cricket in November 2024.

As a result, Kaul is now eligible to play in the BBL, though it remains to be seen if he will make the final shortlist.

How Has Siddarth Kaul Performed for India?

The 35-year-old made his first-class debut for Punjab in 2007. Kaul rose to prominence through his performances in domestic tournaments and later became a key member of the Under-19 World Cup-winning team in 2008, captained by Virat Kohli. Notably, Kaul bowled the final over of the final match in that tournament.

Kaul earned his first India cap in 2018 and went on to represent the country in six international matches before fading from the national setup.

Indians To Play In The BBL

It is worth noting that former Under-19 World Cup-winning captain Unmukt Chand was the first Indian to play in the BBL, but he had to give up his Indian citizenship to represent the USA. As a result, no Indian has officially played in the premier T20 league in Australia.

However, several Indian female cricketers have featured in the Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL). The list includes S. Meghana, Arundhati Reddy, Pratika Rawal, U-19 T20 World Cup-winning captain Niki Prasad, Uma Chetry, Kashvee Gautam, Priya Mishra, and a few others.