Fleming rejects Buchanan's more 'overseas players' idea
Chennai Super Kings coach Stephen Fleming has rejected John Buchanan's suggestion of increasing the number of overseas players in the playing eleven, saying the Indian Premier League is not a global competition and is meant to promote Indian players.
Never short of ideas, Kolkata Knight Riders coach Buchanan recently floated the idea of increasing the number of foreign players in a team, but IPL Chairman and Commissioner Lalit Modi turned down the request saying there would be no change in the format.
"I think it's absolutely okay. I am very strong on that. The more you increase the role of the overseas players, the more you diminish the role of Indians. I don't think that's quite right," Fleming was quoted as saying in the IPL's official website.
"If you are going to make it a global competition and called it the World Premier League, then you can use as many international players as you can. But it's the Indian Premier League and it's all about Indian players, performing well and winning games, accompanied by overseas players rather than the other way around," he added.
The Super Kings have benefitted from their young Indian players who have done well with likes of Shadab Jakati and Sudeep Tyagi rising to the occasion brilliantly.
Impressed with the development, Fleming said he wants more from his Indian players.
"I'd hate to see a team made up of pre-dominantly of international players and you fit the Indian players then just to make up the numbers if that makes sense. I think you are going to have your strong Indian players developed and then you can accompany that with your overseas players," the former Kiwi skipper said.
Instead Fleming suggested the IPL management to cut down the number of overseas players from 10 to six in each team.
"There's a strategy involved. You don't have to have 10 overseas players. The argument is that there are six overseas players waiting on the sidelines. Well it's up to you to manage that. And just as you have to manage your Indian players.
"So there is good strategy involved rather than just buying the best players and making up the team. The strategy of putting the team together is a very important part of this tournament," he said.
