Michael Vaughan urges England players to give weightage to NZ Tests over IPL knockouts

Former English skipper Michael Vaughan has urged the England players to give prime importance to Test cricket over IPL. As per reports,  England players might miss the two-match Test series against New Zealand in June for participating in IPL knockouts.

The two Test matches between hosts England and New Zealand will be played between June 2 and 14. According to reports, New Zealand Cricket is planning to make the national team reach England in the middle of May. On the other hand, even England’s Test hopefuls will be getting inside their bio-bubble weeks prior to the commencement of the series.

'They shouldn't be allowed': Michael Vaughan

Taking to the micro-blogging site, Vaughan wrote he has always said that  England players should be able to play the IPL  and he loves what it brings for them. However, they shouldn’t be allowed to stay and play in the finals if picked for the 1st Test against New Zealand at Lord's.

The 2005 Ashes-winning skipper's tweet evoked mixed reactions from the passionate cricket fans. Here's what they had to say.

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The Indian Premier League 2021 (IPL 2021)  is set to commence sometime in April this year, i.e. immediately after the conclusion of the ongoing home all-format bilateral series against England. While the tournament will conclude sometime in June, its finishing stages are set to collide with New Zealand’s imminent Test tour to England. The Black Caps are slated to tour England two weeks in advance before their Test series, in order to adhere to their local quarantine norms.

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Coming back to the India-England series, currently, the four-match Test series is leveled at 1-1. After suffering a humiliating 227-run loss in the series opener at the MA Chidambaram Stadium, Chennai last week, a determined Indian team staged a remarkable comeback in the second Test match at the same venue to hand a mammoth 317-run defeat to the visitors.

The Men In Blue will now be hoping to win the next two Tests and thereby, earn the right to face New Zealand in the ICC World Test Championship final that will be contested from June 18-22 at the 'Mecca of Cricket' Lord's.

Meanwhile, the third Test match will be played under lights with the pink-ball. It will be contested at the newly renovated Motera Stadium in Ahmedabad between February 24-28. 

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