'Tough situation': Dawid Malan says he's 'committed to IPL' amid uncertainty over England T20 World Cup, Ashes squads
England batsman Dawid Malan described it as a tough situation for the players, but ensured that at this point, he is committed to play for Punjab Kings in the IPL 2021 when the season resumes.
Due to the rising number of Covid cases inside the tournament's bubble, the 2021 edition of the Indian Premier League tournament was stopped midway. Luckily for fans, the IPL 2021 is set to resume from September 18th, but it poses a lot of challenges for overseas players with packed schedules.
With the T20 World Cup and the Ashes series also scheduled this year, if England players decide to play in the IPL, and are selected for both Ashes and the World Cup, they will have to stay in the bio-bubble for a long period of time. On the other hand, if they do not play in the IPL, and do not get selected for either of the two events - it would mean they missed out on playing in one of the biggest T20 leagues in the world.
England batsman Dawid Malan described it as a tough situation for the players but ensured that at this point, he is committed to playing for Punjab Kings in the IPL 2021 when the season resumes.
"It's quite a tough schedule. The only guarantee we have at the moment is IPL - we don't know if we're going to the World Cup and we don't know if we're going to the Ashes, so it leaves us in quite a tough situation," Malan said after the end of second day's play of the ongoing third Test against India.
"Say you give up the IPL and you don't get picked for either of the England squads, then you've given up the IPL. Or if you go to the IPL and then you get selected after you've gone to the IPL then you're sat in the bubble for five and a half months.
"So it's a tricky situation. Hopefully, we can get some answers and we can find some time to get a rest out of these bubbles.
"I think all possibilities are open, at the moment I have committed to the IPL, nothing will change at the moment and if things do change maybe we can reassess but at the moment I have committed to the IPL," he signed off.
(With ANI inputs)