Updated 9 March 2021 at 18:20 IST
Geoffrey Boycott feels those England players choosing IPL over country should be punished
Former England opener Geoffrey Boycott suggested that deductions should be made in the player's compensation if he seeks a break from national commitments.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) recently announced the schedule for the 14th edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL 2021). The defending champions Mumbai Indians will take on Royal Challengers Bangalore in the opening clash of the season, whereas the final is slated to be played on May 30. England are slated to play New Zealand in the first match of their two-match series on May 2. As a result, the IPL-bound England stars will miss the Test match, and it has not gone down well with former England player Geoffrey Boycott.
Geoffrey Boycott unhappy with England players choosing IPL over national duty
England coach Chris Silverwood in a virtual press conference had confirmed that their national players will be available for the whole season of the Indian Premier League, despite their series with New Zealand starting just days after the IPL 2021 final. Geoffrey Boycott expressed his opinions regarding the latest development in his Daily Telegraph column.
The 80-year-old opined that he would not stop the players from earning a hefty paycheck in the Indian T20 carnival, but also pointed out that it should not come at the expense of missing an international fixture for England. He also suggested that the board should dock money from the players who give preference to such franchise-based competitions over playing for England.
The likes of Moeen Ali, Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran and Ben Stokes will could miss the 1st Test against New Zealand because of their IPL commitments. Speaking on players leaving the bio-bubble due to mental health issues, Boycott reckons that such cases are never to be found during the Indian Premier League. He suggested that if players want a break from the national schedule, there should be deductions in their pay as well.
India vs England
After their blockbuster Test series the two cricketing giants India and England will next battle it out in eight white-ball encounters. The India vs England five-match T20I series will commence on March 12. All the matches of the shortest format will be played in the Narendra Modi Stadium of Ahmedabad. The teams will then travel to Pune for the three ODI fixtures. While India look to be the favourites to clinch the T20 series as well, the visitors have a chance of redeeming themselves after their embarrassing Test series loss. Fans can catch the live-action of the India vs England 1st T20 on March 12 from 7:00 PM (IST) onwards.
Image source: ICC Twitter
Published By : Aditya Desai
Published On: 9 March 2021 at 18:20 IST