Top Indian cricketers have agreed to sign the controversial ICC contract for next month’s Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka, paving the way for India to send a full-strength team for the tournament.

The players’ spokesman Ravi Shastri said here yesterday the cricketers had taken this decision in the “interest of the game”. 

“The players have decided in the interest of the game to back off for the period of 18 days during the ICC Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka next month and will speak to their sponsors on television ads and hence would be available for selection,” Shastri said.

“For the future though, the players will strongly recommend to the board to give them a share of their profit which would be distributed among the international and national cricketers playing the game in India,” he said.

“The players have also strongly recommended floating of a players’ representative body for better relationship between the Board and the players,” he said.

The Indian players, currently in England, had refused to sign the contract which required them to forego their personal endorsements one month before and after the event in favour of the official sponsors in case of a clash of interest.

The players’ stand forced the BCCI to begin the process of sending an alternative team and 25 new probables had already been short-listed for the purpose.