Former India wicketkeeper-batter KS Bharat is set to begin a new chapter in his cricket career after announcing plans to represent the United Arab Emirates in international cricket. The 32-year-old retired from international cricket in June 2026 and moved to Dubai, where he has since entered the UAE cricket pathway.
Bharat represented India in seven Test matches, including the 2023 World Test Championship final against Australia at The Oval. His final appearance for India came in the Test against England that ended on February 5, 2024. Across his seven Tests, Bharat scored 221 runs at an average of 20.09, with a best score of 44.
He formally announced his retirement from international cricket on June 4, 2026. Since moving to the UAE, Bharat has been exploring opportunities in white-ball cricket, something he felt was limited during his time in India.
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“There’s so much cricket around the world, so I thought I would explore the leagues, and then if I get to play for some other country, why not? It was a very hard decision for me to make, but I thought I would still give myself an opportunity to play [in] the top leagues in the world, and then perform. And I obviously wanted to play more white-ball cricket, which I wasn’t getting in India,” KS Bharat told The National.
He is currently one of 102 players in the International League T20 Development Tournament, which began on September 14. Under the tournament regulations, players must declare their intention to represent the UAE internationally. Bharat believes the move could give him a fresh opportunity to make an impact in white-ball cricket while also extending his career.
“That is the main reason I had to move out of India. Yes, red ball is very important, but I thought I could also make a big difference in my white-ball cricket as well. That is the reason why I had to take this hard call. A hundred per cent, that’s the plan. And I want to do well; not just play, we want to win tournaments. That is the main goal,” he added.
#Cricket | KS Bharat Moves To Dubai For Cricket Opportunities In UAE, Likely To Play In ILT20https://t.co/GTbA03ksGH
— News18 (@CNNnews18) June 19, 2026
The wicketkeeper-batter has already made a promising start in UAE domestic cricket, registering a couple of half-centuries since his arrival. He is now targeting a three-figure score and hopes to secure an ILT20 contract through the upcoming auction.
“After coming to UAE, I got a couple of 50s. Yes, that big score is waiting and I’m also looking to get that magic three-figure number. I’m really looking forward to get a contract, obviously, because that is something which gets me into the scheme of things again. This is a new start for me and I’ll be very grateful for any team [that selects him],” KS Bharat said.
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Bharat’s move follows a similar pathway taken by several Indian domestic cricketers. Earlier in 2026, Harpreet Bhatia and Akshdeep Nath were granted UAE citizenship and subsequently made their international debuts, with Harpreet later becoming captain. Ajay Kumar, Khuzaima Tanveer, Adeeb Usmani and Ibrar Ahmed have also followed the route.
Bharat, who turns 33 on October 3, sees the UAE move as more than just a career opportunity. He also hopes to use his experience of playing for India to help younger UAE cricketers develop. With each ILT20 franchise required to select four UAE-based players in the main auction, the upcoming tournament could provide Bharat with an important platform to establish himself in his new cricketing home.
