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'India put IPL before Test cricket, they never wanted to play the match': Ex-English cricketer on postponed 5th Test
The Indian team have assembled in England for slightly over a three-week long tour, during which the team will play the suspended Test, followed by three T20Is and the same number of 50-over matches.
The Indian Premier League (IPL) has often been targeted by former English cricketers, who have been extremely critical of the T20 tournament for numerous reasons. For instance, when England lost the Ashes 4-0 earlier this year, their ex-captain David Gower had blamed IPL as one of the reason behind the poor performance. Similarly with the rescheduled fifth Test between India and England approaching, Paul Newman, a former English cricketer fired shots at the T20 league.
He accused the Indian cricket team of putting IPL over Test cricket, and claimed the players were not keen enough on completing the series last year itself.
The Indian team have assembled in England for slightly over a three-week long tour, during which the team will play the suspended Test, followed by three T20Is and the same number of 50-over matches.
However, pointing fingers at the tourists Newman in his latest column for Daily Mail wrote: "The arrival of India to complete a Test series that should have ended at Old Trafford last summer is a reminder of how they let down the paying public and Test cricket by pulling out of the final game on the morning of the match.
“It was laughable when the cancellation was blamed on Covid concerns and a game India never wanted to play was abandoned when they put the IPL before Test cricket and set a dangerous precedent.”
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He is not the only one who blamed IPL for the cancelation of the tour midway. Former England captain Michael Vaughan too had made similar observation. In a tweet posted on September 11 last year, the ex-cricketer wrote: “IPL teams chartering planes .. 6 days quarantining required in the UAE .. 7 days till the tournament starts !!!! Don’t tell me the Test was cancelled for any other reason but the IPL ..”
The rescheduled Test between India and England will start from July 1. However, it was originally scheduled to be played in Old Trafford last year but was suspended after a series of Covid positive cases emerged in the Indian camp.
India currently lead the five-match Test series 2-1.
