The Board of Control for Cricket in India has revoked the No Objection Certificate issued to star batsman Virender Sehwag and other Indian cricketers contracted to play for English counties, citing "heavy workload" of the national team this year.
Sehwag was given the all-clear to play for Northamptonshire a few days ago but the NOC has been revoked now, leaving the county shocked.
"Northants Cricket were stunned by the news that just days after receiving the all-clear for Virender Sehwag to play for the County during the Twenty20 tournament, the Indian Board of Control have now revoked the NOC's for all of their players for this summer," the club said in a statement on its website.
Northants Chief Executive Mark Tagg said the BCCI's decision to revoke the NOC has come as a bolt from the blue.
"I received an email out of the blue from the BCCI which said 'BCCI has (since) reviewed the International calendar of the Indian Team during 2010 preceding the World Cup 2011. Considering the heavy workload of the Indian Team during the year, it has been decided to revoke the NOC granted to all Indian contracted players including Mr. Virender Sehwag'," Tagg said.
"This is really difficult news for us and Virender himself, who was very keen to play in this country this summer.
"After the excitement of receiving the NOC on Thursday we were planning the season with confidence but now we have to rethink and we are already actively seeking the possibility of bringing alternative potential match winners to supplement the fine squad that we have at the County Ground," he added.
