Chris Silverwood, England players in IPL 2020, IPL 2020, England players in UAE

England coach Chris Silverwood admitted on Wednesday that it is “very difficult” to tell players to “not play IPL”, even as his team’s rotation policy, much debated in test matches, was discussed after his humiliating 317-run loss to India in the second Test.

The Cricket Board of England and Wales had decided that all multi-format players, especially those of Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow and Moeen Ali, will rotate during the twin tour of Sri Lanka and India.

“It is very difficult to tell players that no, you cannot play IPL. You can’t say no if you only see the numbers. IPL is a benchmark cricket event in the T20 world and that is why it is very difficult, ”Silverwood said during a press conference where he was cornered by the issue of IPL gaining more precedence over test matches.

Stokes and Jofra Archer did not come to Sri Lanka, while Buttler and Ali returned home after the first and second test respectively. Now Bairstow and Mark Wood have joined the team, while Archer could return home during the white-ball stage with Buttler rejoining.

When specifically asked if playing IPL became a priority, as many of these players chose not to participate in the Big Bash League in Australia, but now they skip the test matches as part of the rotation policy.

“I don’t think it’s a problem because the players are playing fantastic high-level T20 cricket, which can really benefit us. Advancing benefits the player. Obviously, players make their own decisions about the competitions (BBL, CPL, IPL) in which they participate, but we benefit from their game. “

Silverwood, a fast bowler during his playing days, accepted that he had “made up.”

“I am totally at peace with that. Just to reiterate the test cricket is still the priority at least for me. “

While the likes of Stokes, Archer, Chirs Woakes have been held back by their franchises, the likes of Moeen Ali, Dawid Malan and 15 others will go under the hammer.

Are you sad that there is talk of players missing New Zealand’s test matches to fulfill their IPL knockout commitments?

“One of the things I feel is that it provides opportunities for people. It’s exciting for me to see people debut, to see people do well. Like I said, I see the exciting side of this. “

So, will you pray that Mark Wood or Moeen Ali don’t get bids at the IPL auctions tomorrow?

“No, I want them to do well, to really support the decision they make. If they are chosen, it will be brilliant and I can only hope that they do well, know the conditions and improve as players, “he said.

The rotation policy has been criticized especially because people skip the test matches for the T20s, especially the multi-format men who have fat IPL contracts.

Silverwood blamed it on the length of stay in the biobubble which could demotivate any player who cannot meet their families.

“The amount of time during the test series means that families cannot come to us. So that people can reach their families. Playing the T20 in India with a full team gives us a fantastic opportunity for us to learn as a group and get away from that, ”he said with the T20 World Cup in mind.

Silverwood apologizes for Moeen Ali’s mistake:

On Wednesday, it was Silverwood’s turn to apologize to Moeen Ali for comments from skipper Joe Root that the player had decided to go home on his own when it was clearly stated that the decision was collective by the team’s management.

“We’re sorry. The decision for him to go home was ours. It was with Buttler, Sam, Bairstow and Moeen,” Silverwood said.

“It was a unique situation with Moeen (he was in quarantine after coming back with COVID-19 positive) as he was in the bubble for a long time.

“Having returned to the team in Sri Lanka. We work very closely with our players and try to give them the best opportunities. In the end, we felt it was the right decision for him to go home. “

So how did Moeen react?

“He was fine. Joe and I talked to him last night and he was fine. He understands that we care about his best interests and we will try to take care of him as we do with all of our players.”

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