Michael Vaughan, the former captain of England, has now supported his compatriots in the face of harsh criticism. He argued that the national obligations should take precedence over the local league. He also emphasized that it is appropriate for the players to ignore IPL 2024 given the opponents, such as Pakistan. For those who are unaware, during the most important part of the competition, clubs like Kolkata Knight Riders, Rajasthan Royals, and Royal Challengers Bengaluru would be without their star English players.
Due to their national obligations, many England players quit the Indian Premier League 2024 in the middle of the season. England is preparing for the next T20 World Cup 2024 in June by playing a T20I series against Pakistan. Players like Phil Salt, Will Jacks, Reece Topley, Jos Buttler, and others have departed for their home countries as their IPL teams prepare for the crucial playoffs. Irfan Pathan and Sunil Gavaskar, two former Indian cricket players, criticized the English players’ action.
“I think it’s fair enough if you are returning to represent your country, as English players have done. They are up against Pakistan in a series. If the Pakistan series hadn’t happened, the England players would not have returned. The schedule included the series.
In terms of English cricket, England’s defense of the 50-over World Cup in India was subpar, according to Michael Vaughan, who was cited by India Today.
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“I believe Jos and his team get together after playing five games against Pakistan. There were issues with the real build-up to the 50-over World Cup as well. Numerous substitutions and modifications were made. They’ve now returned to playing five games, assembled the entire team, worked on some cultural issues, and everyone is fulfilling their roles. I believe this will improve their chances,” he continued.
IPL 2024 lineup for the postseason
The league stages of IPL 2024 are now over, and the top four clubs in the competition have been determined. In Qualifier 1, Kolkata Knight Riders and Sunrisers Hyderabad will square off at the Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad on Tuesday, May 21. On Wednesday, May 22, at the same location, Royal Challengers Bengaluru will play Rajasthan Royals in the eliminator.