Kevin Pietersen subtly questions Ashley Giles' stand, backs Sourav Ganguly to resume IPL

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 was postponed indefinitely by the IPL GC and the BCCI after players and staff members of different teams started testing positive for Covid-19 inside the bio-bubble environment. English players in the tournament returned safely to the UK after the IPL suspension. As per IPL latest news, the England players would have to miss the remaining part of the IPL 2021 if the schedule clashes with the fixtures of the England cricket team.

Sourav Ganguly-led BCCI to reschedule IPL in September

Kevin Pietersen has always been in support of hosting the IPL and has subtly questioned this move. After the IPL suspension, BCCI President Sourav Ganguly has expressed his intention to resume the league in the month of September just before the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup. As per the IPL latest news, potential venues are being discussed while considering countries like the UAE, Sri Lanka and even the UK. Kevin Pietersen has also suggested the possibility of hosting the remaining part of the IPL 2021 in the UK.

ECB to give preference to its fixtures before the rescheduled IPL

On the other hand, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is expecting its players to participate fully with the national side in their upcoming matches. Recently, England’s managing director of men’s cricket, Ashley Giles faced the question of whether England players will be picked for the upcoming Bangladesh and Pakistan tour which might clash with the rescheduled IPL 2021. Giles answered by saying that they have got a full Future Tours Programme and if those tours are organized as per schedule, then he would be expecting all the English players to be present.

Kevin Pieterson subtly questions the stand by ECB

Mike Atherton, the former England cricket captain who is currently a broadcaster, supported the stand taken by the ECB on Twitter. While Kevin Pietersen questioned this move in the same tweet due to the fact that the IPL can also be hosted in the UK. Before the suspension of the league, England players would have missed the England vs New Zealand 2021 Test series. While clarifying his stand, Giles said that the England vs New Zealand 2021 Test series was fixed at the end of January, by which the players had already signed their contracts for their full involvement in the IPL 2021.

Is IPL 2021 cancelled?

Since the IPL suspension on May 6, fans have been wondering about the question, “Is IPL 2021 cancelled?”. The answer to the question is “No”, the IPL 2021 isn’t cancelled entirely but rather postponed indefinitely and is expected to resume back in the month of September. The BCCI is planning to host the remaining part of the IPL 2021 in the UAE while also getting offers to host the league in the UK and Sri Lanka.

Image Source: KP Twitter/PTI