Ian Bell, former England cricketer, believes tournaments like the Legends League Cricket (LLC) remind retired players of their playing days and how fortunate they were to have been professional cricketers. Several former players, including India’s Shikhar Dhawan and Dinesh Karthik, have featured in the LLC this year. The tournament is being held across four venues in Jodhpur, Surat, Jammu, and Srinagar. Bell, who is now focused on coaching, shared his thoughts during an interaction. Bell is part of the India Capitals team in the Legends League Cricket 2024.

“To come back and play some more cricket, even though I suppose the playing days are finished and coaching is what I do now, it’s been brilliant,” he said. Bell noted that playing alongside iconic names from international cricket brings back the thrill and nostalgia of the sport’s peak moments. “When you retire from playing, you don’t get these opportunities to come out in front of good crowds and have that chance. It does remind you of how lucky you were to be a professional cricketer for such a long period of time,” he told PTI.

Former players take part in LLC

For Dhawan, who announced his retirement in August, returning to the field after a break has been a unique experience. “It was a great feeling to be back on the ground, and it was a tough wicket to bat on. It was turning a lot, and it’s nice to middle the ball and score some runs,” Dhawan said after scoring a fifty for Gujarat Greats against Southern Super Stars. He admitted feeling a bit rusty initially. “But I felt good, I was tired as well, because I played matches after 4-5 months, which is quite normal,” he added.

Similarly, Bangladesh’s Abdur Razzak, who last played international cricket a decade ago, is now balancing his role as a selector with his appearances in the tournament. “I’m working as a selector, that’s also a tough job,” Razzak said. Despite the time away from professional cricket, he praised the atmosphere of the tournament. “The feelings and the atmosphere are pretty similar because there is lots of crowd and the atmosphere they create is outstanding,” he concluded.