NEW DELHI : The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) today said that the door is open for Brian Lara to join next year’s Indian Premier League (IPL), but the West Indies batting great would have to first snap all ties with the Essel Group-backed rebel Indian Cricket League (ICL).

BCCI vice president Mr Rajeev Shukla said Lara was free to join the IPL but for that he would have leave ICL. 

“He would have to terminate his ICL contract in such a case,” Mr Shukla said when asked whether Lara, who is in the country to play in the ICL, could be part of the IPL.

However, the domestic players, who have joined the rebel league, have reached a point of no return, said Mr Shukla. 

“There is no plan to take them back. We’ve been approached by a number of players who have aligned with ICL. 

They want to play for their states and want to come back. But as of now, the Board has not arrived on a consensus about a general amnesty to them,” he said.