Lancashire CEO Advocates for BCCI Stake in The Hundred

Lancashire’s CEO, Daniel Gidney, has suggested that the ECB should consider offering the BCCI a minority stake in The Hundred to help bring in active Indian men’s players.

These are players who are currently denied No-Objection Certificates (NOCs) to play in overseas leagues. The RP-Sanjiv Goenka (RPSG) Group, which is finalizing a deal to purchase a 70% stake in Manchester Originals and operate the team as a joint venture with Lancashire, met with Gidney during his trip to India last week. 

Incoming investors have been given until the end of April by the ECB to sign participation agreements; the final legal drafting of the paperwork is currently underway. No men have participated in The Hundred, but several Indian women have, such as Smriti Mandhana and Harmanpreet Kaur. 

According to Gidney ownership stake in The Hundred might persuade the BCCI to reconsider their position, despite ECB CEO Richard Gould saying that luring Indian men's players was "not priced into our plans" and that the organization's position is "very clear."

For The Hundred in 2025, the Originals have already exploited their connection to the Super Giants to sign Heinrich Klaasen (a direct signing) and Noor Ahmad (a top draft pick), both of whom will play for the RPSG Group in the SA20. 

Although Lancashire will be able to pay off bank debt and make facility investments thanks to their decision to keep 30% of the Originals instead of the 51% that some other host counties have kept, it has raised concerns about their degree of franchise control.