Dale Steyn calls PSL 'smaller league' reveals why he decided to not play IPL 2021

South Africa's legendry fast bowler Dale Steyn on March 19 interacted with his fans via a question-answer session on Twitter. Dale Steyn was considered as one of the most dangerous fast bowlers of all time during the prime of his cricketing career. Steyn's ability to swing the ball both ways with a great-speed made him one of the most successful bowlers for the Proteas. 

In his glorious international career, from 2004 to 2019, Dale Steyn represented South Africa in 93 Test matches scalping a whopping 439 wickets. However, Dale Steyn in the Indian Premier League (IPL) kept on transferring from one franchise to another. 

In IPL 2020, Steyn returned to the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) after a three-year hiatus. However, Steyn only placed three matches. The highest auction price for Dale Steyn came in consecutive seasons in 2014 and 2015, when Sunrisers Hyderabad snapped him up for INR 9.5 crore. Dale Steyn had made himself unavailable for IPL 2021.  

Recently, Dale Steyn statement on PSL vs IPL draw a lot of flak on social media. Dale Steyn who plays for the Quetta Gladiators franchise in the PSL had said that excessive emphasis on the financial aspect of the IPL meant "the cricket gets forgotten".

Steyn had also said that playing in PSL(Pakistan Super League) 'more rewarding as a player'. However, the PCB decided to postpone the 2021 edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL), hosted at the National Stadium in Karachi. PSL 2021 commenced on February 20 with Karachi Kings registering a stunning victory against Quetta Gladiators by a massive 7 wickets.

On March 4 the Pakistan board decided to postpone PSL 2021 for an indefinite time owing to the rise in the number of positive coronavirus cases among the players and support staff. 

A cricket enthusiast asked Dale Steyn that he had decided to not participate in this year's IPL due to family time and as PSL is rescheduled in June, will he do the same?

'Wasn’t planning on the PSL being postponed'

Steyn on PSL getting postponed wrote, "Wasn’t planning on the PSL being postponed. This pandemic has no barriers to its devastation. We all flow with what the rules are made regarding Covid, plans change too unfortunately, we just do our best with the time given."

'Playing smaller leagues- a more obvious choice'

During the recent interaction with the fans, Steyn was yet again asked why he opted for not playing IPL 2021. To this one user on social media said that Steyn is at the end of his career and he was unlikely to be selected anyway in the IPl 2021. 

To this Steyn replied, "100% truth. And if I was selected might not even play, hence playing smaller leagues and guaranteed a spot in the starting 11 seems a more obvious choice for me at my point of my career, doesn’t mean IPL isn’t still the biggest and most obvious goal for all other cricketers."