Former India keeper-batter KS Bharat has begun the next phase of his cricketing journey in the United Arab Emirates. It was only a couple of weeks back when the 32-year-old announced his retirement from Indian cricket. Since then, he has shifted base to Dubai and is currently assessing opportunities within the UAE cricket landscape, with both playing and long-term prospects understood to be under consideration.
Bharat has already taken his first step into the local circuit by joining Team Stallions for a tournament being conducted by the Emirates Cricket Board. The competition commenced on Friday at the ICC Academy Oval 1 in Dubai and features four teams competing in a short-format event designed to encourage skills and decision-making associated with longer forms of the game.
Notably, the Stallions will compete alongside Team Falcons, Team Leopards and Team Eagles in the seven-match competition, which forms part of the board’s player development programme.
Now, even though Bharat has not publicly outlined his future plans, reports indicate that the former India player is exploring multiple avenues in UAE cricket. One possibility is participation in the International League T20, the country’s franchise competition, which is scheduled to take place later this year. With the player auction expected in October, there remains ample time for him to enter the registration process should he choose to do so.
“He has moved to Dubai, like many other international cricketers from different countries, and is exploring both short-term and long-term opportunities here,” an Emirates cricket official told Cricbuzz.
Bharat’s India career
Bharat represented India in seven Test matches and was regarded as one of the country’s most reliable wicketkeepers on the domestic circuit. The Andhra cricketer surprised many observers when he announced his retirement earlier this month despite remaining active in professional cricket.
His decision followed a similar move by Vijay Shankar, who recently opted to continue his career through an opportunity in the Lanka Premier League.
The timing of Bharat’s retirement also coincided with discussions within the Board of Control for Cricket in India regarding a formal retirement framework for domestic and international players. The matter was examined during a recent Apex Council meeting, where officials agreed to work towards establishing a policy governing such decisions.
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