In the early hours of April 1, a social media post from the official account of the Big Bash League (BBL) franchise Sydney Sixers sent shockwaves through the cricketing world.
Virat Kohli to play for Sydney Sixers in the BBL?
The post claimed that ace Indian batter Virat Kohli had officially signed with the Sixers for the next two seasons. Given Kohli’s stature as one of the biggest names in international cricket, the announcement quickly went viral, prompting widespread discussions among fans and analysts alike.
Many believed that Kohli’s potential move to an overseas T20 league signified a major shift in global franchise cricket. The idea of Kohli playing in the Big BBL alongside Australian stars such as Steve Smith and Mitchell Starc was enough to create a buzz among cricket enthusiasts. However, as fans began speculating and debating the authenticity of the claim, the Sixers soon clarified the reality behind their shocking announcement.
The real truth behind the viral post
Shortly after the post gained traction, the Sixers revealed that it was merely an April Fools’ prank. The franchise added a follow-up message highlighting the date – April 1, 2025 – indicating that the announcement was nothing more than a playful hoax. While pranks of this nature are common on April Fools’ Day, this particular joke gained an exceptional amount of attention due to Kohli’s immense fan following and the strict regulations imposed by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Indian players’ participation in foreign leagues. The prank led to confusion among some fans who initially believed that Kohli had made an unprecedented move. However, those aware of BCCI’s policies quickly realized that such a transfer was highly unlikely.
April Fools
— Sydney Sixers (@SixersBBL) April 1, 2025
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Indian players in the foreign T20 leagues
The biggest reason this claim was implausible is BCCI’s longstanding policy that prohibits Indian male cricketers from participating in overseas franchise leagues while they are still active in international and domestic cricket. Unlike their counterparts from other cricketing nations, Indian players are not permitted to sign contracts with foreign T20 leagues such as the Big Bash League (Australia), The Hundred (England), Caribbean Premier League (West Indies) or SA20 (South Africa).
This rule has been in place for several years and is strictly enforced to ensure that Indian cricketers remain available for domestic competitions as well as the highly lucrative Indian Premier League (IPL). The policy aims to preserve the IPL’s dominance in global franchise cricket, prevent scheduling conflicts, and maintain control over player workload and fitness.
Virat Kohli’s current focus: IPL 2025 and RCB
Rather than contemplating a move to the BBL, Virat Kohli remains entirely focused on the ongoing Indian Premier League (IPL) 2025 season, where he is representing Royal Challengers Bengaluru (RCB). Kohli has been an integral part of the RCB franchise since the league’s inception in 2008 and continues to be one of its most influential players. As of now, RCB is enjoying a strong start to the season, sitting at the top of the IPL 2025 points table with two consecutive victories.
They registered a convincing win against Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) in the season opener and followed it up with a commanding 50-run triumph over Chennai Super Kings (CSK) in an away match. Kohli’s performances have been crucial in these victories, reaffirming his commitment to RCB and the IPL. His next challenge will be against Shubman Gill’s Gujarat Titans (GT) at the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bengaluru on Wednesday, where he will aim to continue his stellar form and help RCB maintain their winning momentum.
