Former England batsman Mark Butcher denies he will join rebel Indian Cricket League

Former England batsman Mark Butcher denied Thursday he will play in an unofficial cricket league that has challenged the India cricket board’s authority.The Surrey captain had been linked to the Indian Cricket League, promoted by India’s largest media company, which will feature six teams in Twenty20 matches between October and November.

“I have had no contact from anyone involved within the ICL and I don’t expect to either,” Butcher said Thursday. “The first I heard of it was when I was driving to the ground this morning and the chief executive of Surrey (Paul Sheldon) phoned me to ask what it was all about.

“I am slightly disconcerted to see my name attached to something that I know nothing about.”

The rebel league has drawn comparisons with Kerry Packer’s World Series Cricket that split the sport in the 1970s, as both were formed by companies denied television rights to domestic cricket.

The India cricket board has warned players of a life ban if they join the unofficial event.

However, former India internationals Dinesh Mongia, Deep Dasgupta, Jai Prakash Yadav, Reetinder Sodhi, Laxmi Ratan Shukla and Thiru Kumaran are among 44 Indian cricketers who have signed up.

Former India captain Kapil Dev, Sandip Patil, Madan Lal and Balwinder Sandhu — all members of India’s 1983 World Cup-winning team — have coaching assignments. Dev is the ICL chairman and was sacked as chairman of India’s national cricket academy for his involvement in the league.

Foreign cricketers who have signed contracts to play include former West Indies captain Brian Lara, Lance Klusener and Nicky Boje of South Africa, and Inzamam-ul-Haq, Mohammad Yousuf, Abdul Razzaq and Imran Farhat from Pakistan.