Butcher last played for England in December 2004

"I have had no contact from anyone involved within the ICL and I don't expect to either," Butcher insisted.

"I am slightly disconcerted to see my name attached to something that I know nothing about.

"The first I heard was driving to the ground and the Surrey chief executive phoned to ask what it was all about."

Former England captain turned outspoken commentator Tony Greig, who recruited players for Kerry Packer's World Series in the 1970s, is on the executive board of the new Indian Cricket League, along with legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev.

West Indian Brian Lara, who retired from international cricket after the World Cup, has been persuaded to join the new-look league, which will initially be played in Twenty20 format during October and November.

Many of the players signed are either retired or approaching the end of their careers, prolific Pakistan batsman Mohammad Yousuf being the main exception.

Surrey media spokesman Nathan Ross explained to BBC Sport that Greig had misunderstood the position with Butcher, which led to the Times newspaper linking him with the ICL.

"It was the fact that Tony Greig had mentioned to someone about it and had assumed that because Mark was with [management company] Athletes1, like a few other players, he was interested," he said.

Kapil Dev (right) is a leading spokesman for the new league

Ross also confirmed that run machine Mark Ramprakash, another likely target for the ICL, had not yet been approached, and added that Surrey would be unlikely to voice any objections if he, or any of their other players, were to be.

"Anyone who wanted to play would effectively be out of contract so there wouldn't be a lot we could do about it even if we were to oppose it, which at the moment we don't, we don't have a stance," he said.

"It's nothing to do with us it's more of an ICC, ECB thing."

Athletes1 spokesman Eddie Tolchard explained that Butcher had been mentioned in preliminary discussions with representatives from the ICL.

"With Butch we made a polite enquiry and asked if they would be interested and they said to sound him out as a potential captain and we might then take it further," he said.

"I've got concerns about how it would affect his career here. We're still waiting to hear the ECB stance, if there is anything that would affect things I would recommend he didn't look at any deal.

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"But I can't see why someone like Butch, not contracted to England, should not go. The county game has a history of bringing in overseas players so why can't English players go overseas?"

"I think one of the reasons why we haven't seen many other players mentioned from outside India and Pakistan is that other boards like Australia don't really know how to handle it or whether they should have a stance on it because it is not an ICC tournament."

Tolchard allayed concerns that the event would be a repeat of the Packer series that deprived leading Test nations of their best players.

"Players from England and Australia who are centrally contracted would not look into it anyway they have no need to, because they get well paid and they are passionate about playing for their country," he said.

"The ICL don't want to ruin world cricket, they want a really good tournament to further enhance the game and what better way that to get some of the biggest names."