Even after joining the breakaway Indian Cricket League (ICL), 'rebel' Punjab players
Dinesh Mongia and Reetinder Singh Sodhi dream of donning the Team
India colours again.
Though BCCI has made it clear that players who have defected to the rebel league
would not be considered for the national or its state teams again, Mongia and
Sodhi are hoping against hopes that the Board's tussle with ICL would not stand
in the way of their selection for the Indian team.
"For any cricketer, playing for his nation is the ultimate
dream and I still dream of playing for India. Being an optimist, I hope things
will change and I can still play for India," Mongia told a news conference
at Manimajra here.
"As a cricketer, I want to play cricket, whether it is
for India, at the Ranji level, county cricket or bodies like ICL. It is just
that you have one more opportunity to play.
"When they do not object to your playing for a county,
why should anybody have problems when you play for ICL?" Mongia asked.
Sodhi went even further and hoped BCCI and ICL will sign a
truce some day.
"I am still positive that they will join hands in future,"
the 26-year-old told reporter at the Chandigarh Airport on his arrival from
Mumbai.
"If we play well in the (ICL) tournament and if things
are sorted out in future, we may still play for India," he said.
Both the cricketers felt that people should look at ICL as
a positive development which would only help the players' cause.
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