ECB bans two players from County Cricket for playing in 'disapproved' Indian league; here's why

The England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has barred two veteran players from featuring in county cricket this summer after they took part in an unsanctioned league in India earlier this year.

Former Australian cricketer Peter Siddle and ex-England all-rounder Samit Patel have been ruled ineligible for the upcoming T20 Blast season due to their participation in the World Legends Pro T20 League held in Goa this year.

Why has ECB banned Siddle and Patel?

According to ECB regulations, any player who features in "disapproved cricket" is not allowed to play county cricket for 12 months from the start of the season. The league in Goa has been classified as disapproved because it was not sanctioned by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI).

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Siddle was set to join Nottinghamshire as an overseas player for the T20 Blast. However, the club confirmed that his deal has now been cancelled due to personal circumstances. Nottinghamshire’s director of cricket Mick Newell admitted the club was disappointed but said they will look for a replacement.

"We’re naturally disappointed that Peter won’t be able to join us this summer, as we were looking forward to having a player of his calibre and experience as part of our T20 squad. We'll now focus our efforts on securing the services of a replacement for this summer’s competition," he said.

Meanwhile, Patel’s situation is slightly different. According to ESPNcricinfo, he has been without a county contract since leaving Derbyshire last year and was hoping to find a team for this season. However, he confirmed to the outlet that he has accepted the ECB’s decision and will not be playing in the Blast this year.

Patel has been a regular face in the competition, having played in every season since it began in 2003. He was one of the only two players to have this record till last season, along with Ravi Bopara, who will also miss out on the upcoming season as he has retired.