Aakash Chopra turns back on ICL, dreaming of India return

NEW DELHI: Refusing to succumb to the lure of lucre that is Indian Cricket League, former Test opener Aakash Chopra is doing everything to claw his way back to Team India, even if that means playing for a Police team somewhere in England.

Turning his back on a lucrative ICL offer, Aakash, who has shifted base to Stoke, some 45 miles north of Birmingham, is lapping up whatever cricket is on offer, and wherever.

"I was playing for Midlands police team, yes a police team against the Worcestershire county cricket club. It was a mix of first and second team players and I scored 88 not out," he said.

Aakash has immersed himself in cricket and has been playing for the MCC, Lashings club -- cricket's answer to basketball's Harlem Globetrotters -- besides Hem Heath Cricket Club.

For MCC, he played a couple of games and got a century as well against Sri Lanka A at Arundel.

"I was supposed to play another game for MCC against Ireland in Dublin but didn't get the visa," he said.

The opener is scoring loads of runs for his club in the North Staffordshire and South Cheshire leagues where he is the leading run-getter. Apart from him, retired New Zealander Nathan Astle and Pakistani pacer Shabbir Ahmed also play in the league.

Many of his contemporaries may have given up their comeback bid to jump on the ICL bandwagon but Aakash still harbours the dream of a Team India comeback and says taking the ICL plunge would have nipped such prospect in the bud.