KKR’s Pravin Tambe barred from playing IPL 2020

Pravin Tambe, Mumbai’s veteran leg-spin bowler, won’t be taking part in the 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL). In the auction that took place in Kolkata on December 19, the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) picked him up at his base price of INR 20 lakhs. Tambe became the oldest cricketer to be brought in the cash-rich T20 league at the age of 48.

The tweaker has already played an overseas league when he plied his trade for Sindhis in the 2018 edition of the T10 League. As per the guidelines set by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), no non-retired player could take part in overseas leagues.

Since Tambe played in the tournament in Sharjah, he doesn’t fulfil the criterion of playing the IPL. “As per Board policy, only retired players can take part in overseas leagues,” a source was quoted as saying in The Times of India (TOI) on Sunday, December 12.

Pravin Tambe’s career in brief

Back in 2013, Rajasthan Royals bagged Tambe when the spinner was 41 years old. Prior to that,  he hadn’t even played first-class cricket. In the same year, he turned out to be the leading wicket-taker in the Champions League T20. The leggie flourished to such an extent that he became the leading wicket-taker in the tournament, having picked 12 wickets at an average of 6.5.

The spells of bowling didn’t evade the eyes of Mumbai’s domestic selectors. In 2013 itself, Tambe made his first-class debut versus Odisha. But he could only play one other first-class game against Gujarat in Valsad. In 2017, he made his List A debut in the Vijay Hazare Trophy. But in four matches, Tambe only managed five wickets, though he had a frugal economy of 4.16.

Then he went on to play in the T10 League after which he hasn’t played competitive cricket. In the IPL, Tambe has 28 wickets from 33 matches, having last played back in 2016. Back in 2014, he also picked up a hat-trick against the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR). With the feat, he became the first in the season and the 12th overall with the milestone in the prestigious T20 league.