The Indian Premier League franchises may have to wait a few more days for clarity over the availability of the England players for the playoffs.
Even though the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has initiated a conversation with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to find out a solution, there was no change in the status quo.
“So far, there’s no update on the matter. The Board has discussed the issue with the concerned people and hopefully, there should be some clarity shortly,” a well-placed source told Sportstar, adding: “For now, there’s no definitive answer…”
ALSO READ | How ‘hybrid pitches’ helped HPCA Stadium combat wear and tear
Soon after England announced its squad for the T20 World Cup 2024, the ECB clarified that players selected for the tournament would return to national duty for the home series against Pakistan, starting on May 22. In fact, England’s team managing director, Rob Key, stated that captain Jos Buttler advocated for the English players to withdraw from the IPL playoffs.
While franchises are awaiting an official update from the Board, contingency plans are also being looked at keeping in mind the fact that the England players won’t be available after May 17. Ahead of its game against Delhi Capitals, Rajasthan Royals’ bowling coach Shane Bond said that Jos Buttler’s absence will be a big loss for the side since he is a ‘terrific’ player.
“Jos’ absence in the playoffs will be a big loss. He is a terrific player. When I was with Mumbai Indians, he went in the middle of the tournament but we still won the tournament. But that’s part and parcel of the game. We miss some players due to injury and some due to playoffs. KKR will lose Phil Salt and other teams will also lose players,” Bond said.
Apart from Buttler, Phil Salt, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Will Jacks and Reece Topley are the England players part of the ICC event squad.
BCCI to discuss IPL 2025 retention model with franchises post May
Meanwhile, the BCCI is expected to get into a conversation with the 10 franchises over the mega auction and retention model for IPL 2025 once this edition is over.
ALSO READ | Naveen-ul-Haq urges LSG to move on after defeat against KKR
Earlier, reports suggested that the Board had invited the team owners for a meeting in Ahmedabad last month to discuss the issue. However, due to a packed schedule and logistical challenges, the plan fell through.
“There’s still quite a bit of time left for the mega auction, so the Board can plan out the road ahead in consultation with the franchises once this edition of the tournament is over in a couple of weeks,” sources have told this publication, making it clear that no formal meeting has been scheduled around the playoffs and the final, that will be held in Ahmedabad and Chennai between May 21 and 26.
With the mega auction likely to be held in mid-December, some of the franchises have requested for an increase in the number of retained players to up to six or seven. However, the Board plans to engage into a conversation with all the stakeholders and decide on the future course of action.
Comments
SHARE