Exclusive: Tom Moody Invites Retired Indian Stars to ILT20, Hails Shubman Gill’s Test Heroics

Former Australia all-rounder Tom Moody, currently the Director of Cricket at Desert Vipers in the DP World International League T20, felt the availability of recently-retired Indian cricketers could boost the franchise tournament in the United Arab Emirates.

Data suggests that the ILT20 is now the second-most watched league, after the Indian Premier League. It has the fat paycheques to secure the services of star cricketers, and the auction for the fourth edition, scheduled for a December 2 start, is in September.

How can Indian players boost ILT20?

"I would love to see Indian players who still have the passion to play the game and those who have recently retired from international cricket. They bring a lot of quality and experience to the tournament. If they still have the hunger and desire to perform in a high-performance environment, the ILT20 would welcome players of that calibre with open arms," Moody told SportsBoom.com on Tuesday. 

Two-time ODI World Cup winner Moody, who has coached Sunrisers Hyderabad in the IPL, understands the popularity of Indian players among the Asian diaspora which could enhance the visibility of the tournament run by the Emirates Cricket Board. 

"They not only bring the star quality on the field, but off it too. Some people still have a huge interest in former Indian players, it will attract a lot of attention," said the 59-year-old.

ILT20 and IPL: A case study

Desert Vipers have finished runners-up twice in the tournament, and Moody believes it is a matter of time before the players explode in the upcoming season. He drew parallels with IPL, even though he accepted that the Indian T20 league is a much more significant tournament but there are similarities in player development.

"Players getting introduced to the tournament, and the learnings, and acceleration of the developments in those environments are similar but I am in no means comparing the IPL with ILT20 as both are completely different tournaments. IPL is untouchable when it comes to significance," he added.

The ILT20 has managed impactful signings amid the competition from other leagues and the challenges of player availability.

Moody picked former England batter Alex Hales, who represented the Vipers in the first three seasons, as one of the best signings during his tenure apart from Sri Lanka's spin-bowling all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga. 

"If you look at Hales in the first three seasons, he has been a significant run-scorer (1,156 runs in 35 matches at a strike-rate of 144.13), and the leading scorer (469) in the first season. We also have Hasaranga, who continues to mesmerise the opposition. He does his thing for Sri Lanka consistently too," said Moody, who coached Sunrisers Hyderabad to the IPL title in 2016.

New signings and the effect of MLC

The Vipers did not retain Hales ahead of the new season. The Abu Dhabi Knight Riders roped in the 2019 ODI World Cup winner. However, the franchise made an interesting move by adding USA wicketkeeper-batter Andries Gous, currently in action at Major League Cricket 2025 for Washington Freedom.

Gous's signing augurs well for the USA as they prepare for the T20 World Cup in India next year. 

"There is no question that American cricket is on the rise. I see it similarly to what is happening in the UAE, where they now have their franchise tournament called the MLC. The players are getting more exposure and competing under pressure. They are playing alongside world-class players and learning the craft. They are learning from the people and the environment. They are starting to show consistency individually and as a collective. They are continuing to grow as it has happened in the UAE."

"Andries is one of the leading associate players in world cricket. His consistency with the USA and wherever he has plied his trade in franchise cricket is second to none. We are thrilled to have him in the squad. He will play a strong role with the bat and gloves in hand, and become a significant match-winner," reasoned Moody.

The rise of Shubman Gill in Test cricket

Amid the planning for the ILT20, Moody is also following the Test series between England and India in the United Kingdom. 

The Aussie great praised the new Indian skipper Shubman Gill for scoring 430 runs in the first two Tests, including a double ton in Edgbaston where India won by 336 runs. 

"India has shown character to fight back in the second Test match [after losing in Leeds]. It is wonderful to see a young captain in Gill. Captaincy hasn't had any impact on the pressure of performing as a batsman. It has only enhanced his hunger for runs. Many people were unsure how India would fare in England with the retirements of Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli. Their decision to move on has opened a door and created more space for young talent to shine and India is not short of talent."