Agni Dev Chopra has denied that he signed up for the PSL 2026 player auction, to be held on February 11.
Who is Agni Dev Chopra?
In 2023/24, Detroit-born Chopra broke into domestic cricket by becoming the first cricketer to score a hundred in each of his first four first-class matches. He played that season and in 2024/25 in all three formats in Indian domestic cricket. On February 1, 2025, he won the BCCI award for scoring the most runs in the Ranji Trophy Plate Group.
MI New York signed up Chopra for MLC 2025. To play in overseas T20 leagues, Indian male cricketers have to retire from Indian cricket. By playing in the MLC, Chopra effectively did that: the 2024/25 season remains his last in Indian cricket. If he plays in an IPL, it will have to be as an overseas player.
Chopra, who holds a US passport, would have had to take that decision anyway: in 2024, the BCCI made only Indian passport-holders eligible to play domestic cricket in the country. If he plays in the IPL, it will have to be as an overseas player (unless, of course, he changes his passport).
What is the PSL controversy around Chopra?
Chopra’s name appears on the auction list for PSL 2026. Serial No. 822 on the list, Chopra is registered as a USA batter with a base price of PKR 6 million. As this began to do the rounds on social media, Chopra put out an Instagram story: “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.”
His mother Anupama Chopra, a reputed movie critic and author (and wife of famous movie director Vidhu Vinod Chopra), tweeted a screenshot of the story.
It is worth a mention that Chopra had recently reviewed the Bollywood blockbuster Dhurandhar, a movie inspired by historical geopolitical conflicts between India and Pakistan. The video review was either deleted or made private after she received backlash.
