KS Bharat says he is targeting trophies with the UAE after switching allegiance from India.
The wicketkeeper-batter played seven Test matches for India, including the 2023 World Test Championship final against Australia at the Oval.
In June, he announced his retirement from international cricket, and it emerged he had moved to Dubai to live.
It was unclear at that stage whether he was targeting a future with the UAE national team. However, this month he was listed among the 102 players in the International League T20 Development Tournament.
Participation in that event – via which players are selected for the main ILT20, starting in November – is dependent on them stating their intention to represent the UAE in international cricket.
Bharat, who turns 33 on October 3, has confirmed he is hopeful of playing for the UAE in the future, and wants to make a difference to the game here.
“A hundred per cent, that's the plan,” Bharat told The National. “And I want to do well; not just play, we want to win tournaments. That is the main goal.”
Players are entitled to switch national teams once in a career, subject to a range of criteria under ICC regulations.
There is a three-year cooling-off period between the last match for their former team and the first game for an adopted country.
Bharat’s last appearance for India was a Test match against England which finished on February 5, 2024.
Under usual circumstances, eligibility would depend on three years' residence after arrival in the new country.
However, a new precedent was set earlier this year for players to receive citizenship to represent the UAE at cricket – making them immediately eligible to play.
Two Indian state cricketers, Harpreet Bhatia and Akshdeep Nath, left their homeland earlier this year to move to the Emirates.
The duo were among six players – Ajay Kumar, Khuzaima Tanveer, Adeeb Usmani, and Ibrar Ahmed were the others – who were granted citizenship.
All have since debuted for the national team, with Harpreet already elevated to captaincy. If Bharat was to follow their lead, he would be available to play international cricket for the UAE on February 6, 2027.
Bharat said he had not spoken to those players before making his own decision, but has been encouraged by seeing how they have become assimilated in the side so quickly.
He also says he is grateful for the welcome he has received from Lalchand Rajput, the UAE coach, and Mubashshir Usmani, the Emirates Cricket Board general secretary.
He says they want him to set an example for young, aspiring national team playersand to share the expertise that helped him reach international level with India.
“It's a whole package,” Bharat said. “If I'm coming, I'll definitely make sure I perform and the team performs well.”
He said the “hard decision” to leave India behind was driven by a desire to prove himself in white-ball cricket. Players who are eligible for India selection are not permitted to play leagues abroad.
Players have announced their retirement from playing for India in the past, with a view to testing themselves in leagues overseas, which is the route Bharat has taken.
“There's so much cricket around the world, so I thought I would explore the leagues, and then if I get to play for some other country, why not?” he said.
“That's the thought process. I'm happy for whatever I did in India. Representing India for seven Tests, obviously, is a great feeling; I cannot express [it] in words.
“But I moved on, and then here is the new chapter for me.”
Bharat last played an IPL match in 2022 and has not played limited-overs cricket for India. He says he wants to prove himself as a white-ball cricketer.
“That's the reason why I had to move out of India,” Bharat said.
“It was a very hard decision for me to make, but I thought I would still give myself an opportunity to play [in] the top leagues in the world, and then perform.
“And I obviously wanted to play more white-ball cricket, which I wasn't getting in India. That is the main reason I had to move out of India.
“Yes, red ball is very important, but I thought I could also make a big difference in my white-ball cricket as well. That is the reason why I had to take this hard call.”
Indian cricketer
His move means he is eligible to play in the ILT20 as a local player. Each of the six franchises is obliged to pick four UAE-based players in their squads for the tournament.
Those 24 players will be selected via the auction on October 1. All will be hoping to attract the sort of bid that UAE national team fast bowler Junaid Siddique had last year, when he was signed for $170,000.
Bharat said his motivation is “to play, yes, [but] not the [monetary] numbers”.
“I've been part of five IPL seasons, and I've played for India and cricket had given me a lot,” he said.
“But to compete in a league like ILT20 and perform, that is really exciting. This development [tournament] gives me a great opportunity to go out there and show my skill set.
“After coming to UAE, I got a couple of 50s. Yes, that big score is waiting and I'm also looking to get that magic three-figure number.
“I am really excited to play these development games because of the quality of players. The fast bowlers are really good, and the spinners are good. There are different challenges out there, and it is a great challenge for me.
“I'm really looking forward to get a contract, obviously, because that is something which gets me into the scheme of things again.
“This is a new start for me and I'll be very grateful for any team [that selects him].”
