RCB Player Quits Team India to Join UAE Cricket Team
Having represented Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Bharat’s decision to retire at the young age of 32 came as a surprise to many.
Team India’s wicketkeeper-batsman KS Bharat announced his retirement from international cricket just a few days ago. Having represented Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB) in the Indian Premier League (IPL), Bharat’s decision to retire at the young age of 32 came as a surprise to many.
It is reported that he decided to bid goodbye due to a lack of opportunities in the Indian national team. However, Bharat is now gearing up to start the second innings of his career. Having left the country, he has moved to Dubai and is preparing to play international cricket for the UAE, taking a significant step in that direction.
To test his mettle, Bharat has initially joined a local tournament organized by the Emirates Cricket Board (ECB), where he has been selected for the Stallions team. This two-day white-ball tournament features 4 teams competing in 7 matches, which commenced on June 19 at the ICC Academy Oval 1 in Dubai.
However, Bharat will not be able to represent the UAE in international cricket immediately. According to ICC rules, there is a mandatory three-year cooling-off period for a player transitioning from a Full Member nation to an Associate nation. Since Bharat last played for Team India in 2024, he will only be eligible to play international matches for the UAE after 2027.
KS Bharat has played 7 Test matches for India, scoring 221 runs at an average of 20.09. He did not manage to score a single half-century or century in these 7 matches, with his highest score being 44 runs. Behind the stumps, he took 18 catches and effected one stumping.
