Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], May 10 (ANI): Former India captain and Cricket Association of Bengal (CAB) president Sourav Ganguly believes the Bengal T20 League is steadily emerging as an important platform for young cricketers, as the tournament gears up for its third season next month.

Speaking on the sidelines of Day 1 of the league's first-ever player auctions, dedicated to the men's competition, Ganguly reflected on how regional franchise tournaments are helping players progress from divisional and domestic cricket to bigger stages such as the IPL and international cricket, according to a release.

The women's auction is scheduled to take place on Sunday.

Calling the introduction of the auction system an exciting addition to the tournament this season, Ganguly said franchises and team managements have embraced the new format.

'At this stage, we are at the auction, and I think it has been very exciting. It's been introduced this year, and I think all of the team owners and the coaches enjoyed it because it allows them to get whichever player they want,' Ganguly said.

With the Bengal T20 League set to begin in June, the former India skipper said the tournament has continued to improve with every season.

'It was a good tournament last year also, and it will be very competitive. Like every other tournament, it gets better and better with time, and hopefully the players will get adjusted, the players will play good cricket and the tournament will be beneficial for them,' he added.

Several young players attracted strong bids during the opening day, underlining the growing importance of state-level T20 leagues in India's cricket structure.

'That's how progress happens, isn't it? You start at the base level, then you go to the next, and then you go to the next, and ultimately you play for the country and then for the franchise. So, this platform is created for that, so that they get better,' Ganguly said.

He also explained how the expanding domestic structure in India, from the Ranji Trophy to the Syed Mushtaq Ali Trophy and Vijay Hazare Trophy, has created a larger pool of players capable of adapting to multiple formats of the game.

'We have the 4 days, 5 days format in Ranji Trophy in India, the Mushtaq Ali, the Vijay Hazare, which is the one day and the T20 and domestically you get a bigger pool of players to play this format, which is becoming very popular of late. So, from that point of view, this tournament is created all around India, not just in Bengal. Other cities do it to get a platform for these players to express their talent and get picked for the next level,' he added.

The former India captain also spoke about Bengal's continued emphasis on promoting both men's and women's cricket simultaneously, calling it an important part of the sport's growth in the country.

'You've seen women's cricket in India now, how it has progressed and where it has gone. India won the World Cup this time and it's same like the men's,' Ganguly said. 'You give them this level, more players to get an opportunity to harness their talent, become better, then play for the state and then go to the next level, which is the country. So, it's one step after the other, and we provide this platform for them to get better,' he added.

As the Bengal T20 League enters its third season, Ganguly said the focus now is on strengthening every aspect of the competition beyond just the cricket on the field. 'The things around the tournament, as you see the auction, the setup, the production, the television is all there, it's up to the players to play the cricket,' he said.

Ganguly also urged fans to continue supporting the tournament and keep an eye on Bengal's emerging talent, with several players hoping to use the competition as a stepping stone towards IPL and India opportunities. (ANI)