ECB director Ashley Giles explains why England won't go 'toe-to-toe' with players for IPL participation | Cricket - Hindustan Times
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ECB director Ashley Giles explains why England won't go 'toe-to-toe' with players for IPL participation

Mar 31, 2021 10:06 PM IST

"We don't particularly want to go toe-to-toe with our players over IPL participation in the long run because we may face losing some of our best players," ECB director of cricket Ashley Giles said ahead of IPL 2021

With top England players like Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes are in danger of missing the first Test against New Zealand if their respective sides make it to the IPL 2021 play-offs, the pressure is firmly on England and Wales Cricket Board.

Rajasthan Royals player Jos Buttler(PTI)
Rajasthan Royals player Jos Buttler(PTI)

While ECB had earlier made it clear that all of their players will be available for the entire duration of IPL, former England cricketer and current ECB director of cricket Ashley Giles said he would not want to go ‘toe-to-toe’ with IPL and BCCI.

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Giles said he didn’t want the England players' love to represent their country to turn into a ‘kiss of death’ by forcing them to skip parts of IPL.

"Right now I think our players love playing for England," Giles said on BBC's 'Tuffers and Vaughan' show.

"I don't want that to be a kiss of death. I think we have to understand that it could be a danger in the future.

"We don't particularly want to go toe-to-toe with our players over IPL participation in the long run because we may face losing some of our best players," he added.

England rotated their all-format players for the tour of Sri Lanka and India, keeping in mind the busy schedule throughout the year.

However, all of them have been allowed to stay for the entirety of the IPL, which means those involved in the final stages are most likely to miss the opening Test against New Zealand, slated to begin on June 2.

The series against the Black Caps was planned after the NOCs for IPL were granted to the players.

"That window was clear for anyone who got to the later stages of IPL to play in the whole competition," Giles said.

"That is how their contracts were agreed. We don't think it is right to renege on that agreement," he added.

Currently, there are 12 England cricketers, some with million-dollar contracts, playing in the IPL.

These include Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes, Johnny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Sam Billings, Dawid Malan and, Jofra Archer if deemed fit.

The IPL is slated to begin from April 9 with the final scheduled to be played on May 30.

(With PTI inputs)

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