Cricket authority head in England expresses belief that Indian players will soon participate in the cricket competition called The Hundred.
The sale of The Hundred franchises has raised an impressive £520 million, with three IPL team owners securing significant stakes in six out of the eight teams. This investment is seen as a transformative move that could eventually open the door for Indian players to join the competition.
Reliance Industries, owners of Mumbai Indians, have acquired a 49% stake in Oval Invincibles, while RPSG Group, who run Lucknow Super Giants, hold a 70% stake in Manchester Originals. Sun Group, the owners of Sunrisers Hyderabad, have bought 100% of Northern Superchargers, and GMR Group, co-owners of Delhi Capitals, hold a 49% stake in Southern Brave.
These investments inject IPL expertise and financial muscle into The Hundred, fostering closer ties between English and Indian cricket. ECB chair Richard Thompson has stated that it's "only a matter of time" before Indian players will play in The Hundred.
However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) continues to withhold No Objection Certificates (NOCs) for centrally contracted male players to participate in The Hundred, citing workload and scheduling priorities. This keeps active Indian men’s players absent from the tournament. Indian women players have appeared but faced withdrawals due to workload management, as exemplified by Deepti Sharma opting out of The Hundred 2025.
The financial windfall from the sale will benefit all counties, including those without franchises. Ten percent of the revenue raised will be invested in recreational cricket, ensuring the growth of the game at grassroots level. The remaining funds will be divided between the 18 first-class counties and the MCC.
The completed deals, described by Thompson as a "great day for the game", are expected to elevate The Hundred's profile and infrastructure. Thompson believes that The Hundred will become the No.1 competition in the Northern hemisphere.
A report into the financial health of the domestic game described a "yawning gap" between counties with and without Hundred franchises. Without the money from The Hundred sale, three or four counties may have faced bankruptcy.
In summary, the IPL ownership in The Hundred improves the tournament's profile and infrastructure and is expected to eventually lead to Indian players participating. The situation might evolve if the BCCI relaxes its stance in the future.
The influx of IPL owners into The Hundred has prompted a discussion about international cricket, with expectations that Indian players might soon feature in the competition. cricket news has covered the involvement of Reliance Industries, RPSG Group, Sun Group, and GMR Group, who are now stakeholders in Oval Invincibles, Manchester Originals, Northern Superchargers, and Southern Brave, respectively. This blend of international cricket and domestic cricket could present new opportunities for sports like football, as the financial boost will aid in promoting the game at grassroots level. However, the Board of Control for Cricket in India continues to withhold No Objection Certificates, posing a challenge to the immediate participation of active Indian men’s players in The Hundred.
