BCCI Award - (Source: X.com)
On Saturday, February 7, Agni Chopra, the son of renowned filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra, hogged the internet after reports went viral that the 27-year-old had registered for the maiden PSL auction set to take place on February 11.
For the unversed, the PCB, on Saturday, revealed the full player list for auction. Meanwhile, a screenshot went viral, where Agni Chopra’s name appeared on the list with a base price of PKR 60,00,000 (approximately ₹19.6 lakh or $21,520). The news spread like wildfire on the internet, and the fans were outraged by the event.
Notably, the tensions between India and Pakistan have been at an all-time high recently after the attack in Kashmir. Therefore, the news of Agni registering for PSL angered the fans. However, a section of fans were in disbelief because the BCCI does not allow Indian players to feature in foreign leagues.
Agni Chopra issues clarification on viral claim
As soon as the word spread on the internet, Agni Chopra took to social media and clarified that the news is untrue and unverified.
“Fake and misleading reports are being circulated in my name regarding a tournament. I would like to clarify that I have not enrolled for the PSL. I remain fully focused on my cricket journey in the USA and my long-term career goals. I request everyone not to fall prey to misinformation.”
How did Agni Chopra violate BCCI’s rule for not registering for foreign leagues?
Notably, as mentioned above, BCCI does not allow Indian players to play in foreign leagues. However, here is the twist. Despite playing in Indian domestic leagues, Agni Chopra is of USA origin. He was born in the United States and does not hold Indian citizenship.
Therefore, it allows him to play in domestic leagues across the world. Nonetheless, despite that, Agni has refuted the claims that he registered for the PSL 2026 auction.
Agni Chopra shone in BCCI's domestic tournaments
Despite being of USA origin, the BCCI allows such players to participate in the domestic tournaments. Notably, Chopra represented Mizoram from 2023 to 2025. During his two-year stint. Playing for Mizoram, he struck five centuries in his first four matches in the Ranji Trophy, in January 2024, at an average of 95.87, with a strike rate of 111.80. With this, he became the first batter in the world to score centuries in hi first four first-class games. He also played 7 matches for Mizoram in the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy, and scored 234 runs at a strike rate of 150.96.
However, Chopra left for the USA after BCCI introduced new rules barring non-passport holders from playing in domestic cricket.
Notably, Chopra, who also plays in MLC, received a BCCI award from Rohit Sharma last year during the BCCI's annual Naman Awards, which were held in Mumbai on February 1. Notably, he won the award for being the highest run-scorer in the Ranji Trophy Plate League.
