IPL 2020: Why Yuvraj Singh won't be playing this season

The 2020 edition of the Indian Premier League will start April next year but the one big name who will be missing from the tournament is Yuvraj Singh. The Punjab-born all-rounder has been the nation’s biggest match-winner in the T20 format.

Yuvraj, a cancer survivor, played for six different IPL franchises in his twelve-year long career. He began his IPL journey with the Kings XI Punjab in 2008. After playing three seasons for Punjab, he switched to the Pune Warriors India in 2011.

BCCI disbanded the Pune franchise in 2013 and then, the left-handed all-rounder received a massive INR 14 crore bid from the Royal Challengers Bangalore. Next year, his price rose even higher as Delhi Daredevils signed him up for a record INR 16 crore.

Though he received hefty contracts from the franchises, he had to wait for nine years before putting his hand on the IPL trophy. He won the title with Sunrisers Hyderabad in 2016 and then in 2018 he returned to Kings XI Punjab.

With his growing age, his performances witnessed a dip, and he had gone unsold in the first round of IPL Auction 2019. Mumbai Indians, however, signed him later as Yuvraj won the IPL trophy once again.

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Why Yuvraj Singh will not play in IPL 2020?

Yuvraj Singh recently won the T10 League with Maratha Arabians.

As a major portion of the cricket universe might know, Yuvraj Singh played for Toronto Nationals in Global T20 Canada 2019. He also won the T10 League 2019 with the Maratha Arabians. Generally, BCCI does not allow the contracted Indian players to take part in foreign T20 leagues but Yuvraj had got a No Objection Certificate from the board to participate in the Canada and Abu Dhabi tournaments.

BCCI grants this certificate only after a player announces his retirement from international cricket and IPL.

Hence, the Man of the Tournament of ICC World Cup 2011 is not eligible to play in IPL 2020. He will not feature in the 2020 auction and also, he cannot play in the forthcoming IPL tournaments as well.