Fact Check: Does Vidhu Vinod Chopra's Son Agni Hold An Indian Passport While Playing In MLC 2025?

Agni Chopra, who light up the Indian domestic circuit over the past two Ranji Trophy seasons now plies his trade in Major League Cricket (MLC) in the United States. Despite playing domestic matches in India, Agni is now eligible to play in MLC 2025. The major question is whether rules were mended for him to play in MLC?

How is Agni Chopra qualified to participate in MLC?

Agni Chopra is qualified to play in MLC due to his US passport. Born in Detroit, Michigan, Agni does not hold an Indian passport, which exempts him from the BCCI’s long-standing restriction on Indian players participating in overseas T20 leagues. It also disqualifies him from playing Indian domestic cricket under the BCCI’s revised eligibility guidelines.

During an interview with the Times of India, Chopra admitted that he would have applied for an Indian passport and remained in the Indian cricket system had he been picked in the IPL. Instead, the lack of opportunities at the highest level prompted him to stay on his current path as a US citizen, which opened the door to international T20 opportunities abroad.

Agni Chopra's performance in MLC?

Chopra was signed by MI New York for $50,000 ahead of the 2025 season. In his first two outings so far, Agni had registered modest scores of 5(7) and 8(8).

Agni Chopra's performance in Indian domestic cricket

Chopra had quietly carved out a name for himself by playing for Mizoram in the Ranji Trophy. His breakout came in 2023-24 when he became the first batter to score centuries in each of his first four First-Class matches. That season, he racked up 939 runs and won the Madhavrao Scindia Award, given to the top performers across the Ranji’s two-tier format. He followed it up with an even more dominant showing in 2024-25, scoring 865 runs at a staggering average of 123.57, once again topping the charts in the Plate Division.