Dawid Malan says 'committed to IPL 2021' amid uncertainty over T20 WC, Ashes

England batsman Dawid Malan reflects on the busy calendar this year as the India vs England five-match Test series is followed by the Indian Premier League(IPL) 2021, the T20 World Cup, and the Ashes. Dawid Malan made it clear that “at the moment” he is “committed” to play in the IPL. The 14th edition of the IPL was stopped midway in May, after the second wave of Covid-19 hit the world, resulting in a global lockdown. Several players and team members tested positive for Covid-19, due to which the tournament was postponed. Malan plays for the Punjab Kings in the IPL after the Kings bought him for INR 1.50 Crore in the IPL Auction 2021. The phase-2 of the IPL starts on September 19 in the United Arab Emirates.

"The only guarantee we have at the moment is IPL": Dawid Malan

David Malan, while speaking after the Day 2 of the ongoing third Test between India and England, said, “It’s quite a tough schedule. The only guarantee we have at the moment is IPL – we don’t know if we’re going to the World Cup and we don’t know if we’re going to the Ashes, so it leaves us in quite a tough situation”. The Covid-19 pandemic has brought a new set of rules and protocols that every team needs to follow while travelling to other countries. These rules include the bio-bubble phenomena, where the team members stay in a bio-bubble secured from the Covid-19 virus. Teams are asked not to leave the bio-bubbles in any condition".

Speaking more on the Covid-19 protocols to be followed, Malan added, “Say you give up the IPL and you don’t get picked for either of the England squads, then you’ve given up the IPL. Or if you go to the IPL and then you get selected after you’ve gone to the IPL then you’re sat in the bubble for five and a half months. So it’s a tricky situation. Hopefully, we can get some answers and we can find some time to get a rest out of these bubbles”. Further reflecting on the tight schedule this season, Malan said, “I think all possibilities are open, at the moment I have committed to the IPL, nothing will change at the moment and if things do change maybe we can reassess but at the moment I have committed to the IPL”.

England are currently at the top of the Indian team in the ongoing Test match at the Headingley Stadium in Leeds. At stumps on Day 2, England finished at 423 at the loss of eight wickets with a lead of a mammoth 345 runs over India. Dawid Malan along with skipper Joe Root added 139 runs in 189 balls for the third wicket. Malan, the current World no. 1 batsman in T20 cricket, scored a half-century of 70 runs to add on to India's worries on Day 2. India earlier suffered a collapse at 78 runs on Day 1 of the Test.

(With Sources from ANI)

(Image Source: Punjab Kings- Facebook)