"I actually see Suresh Raina play" - Aakash Chopra on Indian cricketers playing in foreign T20 leagues

Aakash Chopra feels Indian players like Suresh Raina will soon be seen plying their trade in overseas T20 leagues.

Raina, who has been one of the most successful players in the history of the Indian Premier League (IPL), did not find any takers for the 2022 edition of the tournament. The southpaw might want to showcase his wares in foreign leagues if he is not in the franchises' scheme of things for IPL 2023 as well.

In a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra reckoned more retired Indian cricketers might be seen playing in foreign T20 leagues. He reasoned:

"When Indian franchises buy all six teams in the CSA T20 league, it becomes a totally Indian league. Indian franchises are there in the UAE T20 league as well. If it keeps growing like this, franchises might want their players to play in different places. I actually see Suresh Raina play."

The cricketer-turned-commentator believes Raina will be a sought-after player if he makes himself available. Aakash Chopra observed:

"I see some of the Indian players playing in these leagues very very soon. Those who are not playing in the IPL, they are all available, but Raina is a very interesting case, a lot of people might want to spend a lot of money on him."

With Indian businesses showing more and more interest in overseas T20 leagues, they would undoubtedly want the country's cricketers to play in those tournaments for commercial reasons.

Indian cricketers are not allowed to be a part of the IPL if they play in overseas leagues. It will be interesting to see if the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) becomes more lenient on this front in the future.

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"The board has realized very quickly that both the IPL and bilateral series are their tournaments" - Aakash Chopra on Indian players not retiring from a format

Ben Stokes retired from ODI cricket after the first game against South Africa

Aakash Chopra also feels that Indian cricketers are unlikely to retire from a format, just as Ben Stokes called it quits from ODI cricket. He reasoned:

"Ben Stokes has bid goodbye to ODI cricket. Will Indian cricketers also take the same route? Players have decided that they will only be able to do whatever they can, Indian cricketers have not done that till now. It is also because the board has realized very quickly that both the IPL and bilateral series are their tournaments."

The 44-year-old highlighted that the BCCI gives the Indian players sufficient breaks during bilateral series. Aakash Chopra elaborated:

"They want their players to play all the 14-odd matches in the IPL. They are not going to give them rest there for workload management, but when they play against Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka or Bangladesh, they will rest their players. So, the BCCI has already understood this thing. Everybody's workload is being managed."

The likes of Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, Rishabh Pant and Jasprit Bumrah have been given a break during the upcoming ODI series against West Indies. Kohli and Bumrah have even been rested for the subsequent five-match T20I series against the same opponents.