Dale Steyn Feels England's Rest And Rotation Policy Is 'Pretty Genius'

Legendary South African pacer, Dale Steyn supports the rest and rotate policy instituted by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) for their players in order to manage their physical and mental workload during the pandemic era.

The ECB has received some flak for not putting up their best eleven in the Test series in Sri Lanka – which they won 2-0 – and in the ongoing Test series against India – of which they won the first Test – by resting some of their key first-choice players.

Since the start of 2021, the Three Lions are scheduled to play more than 16 Tests, 12 ODIs, and over 20 T20Is, add to it the IPL and The Hundred – hence the board had decided to give regular rest to its players from the bio-bubble.

Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer were rested from the Sri Lanka series; Jonny Bairstow, Mark Wood, and Sam Curran for the first half of the India series; Jos Buttler after the first Test, and Moeen Ali after the second Test in India are being sent back home; James Anderson and Stuart Broad have played 2 Tests each of the last 4 Tests of England. Most of the aforementioned players play all three formats for England and will participate in the IPL 2021 as well.

England is slowly building an army of amazing cricketers: Dale Steyn

Dale Steyn took to Twitter to laud the England management for taking care of their players amidst the mental challenges posed by the bio-bubbles. Steyn points out that there are plenty of ICC tournaments – 3 confirmed in the next 3 years and other unconfirmed yet – in the upcoming years, and the ECB is unearthing a large pool of players.

Dale Steyn, who has opted out of IPL 2021 due to personal reason after representing Royal Challengers Bangalore last year, feels the idea to rest players, giving them time to spend with their families and be fresh for matches all year round, and also giving chances to several players, is ‘pretty genius’ on the ECB’s part.

“England’s rotation policy is slowly building a army of amazing cricketers. We may criticize it now, but with 8 ICC tournaments scheduled for the next 8 years (basically 1 a year, so I’m told) they really not gonna struggle for international experience when picking teams. #goals,” Dale Steyn tweeted.

“I may also be completely wrong with the tournament’s scheduled, but that’s what I was told. Regardless, I think it’s pretty genius,” he added.

Meanwhile, England after a massive loss in the second Test in Chennai will need to win both the remaining matches over India in Ahmedabad to qualify for the World Test Championship final at Lord’s in June to face New Zealand. The third Test, which is a day-night contest, will commence on 24th February.

England’s rotation policy is slowly building a army of amazing cricketers.
We may criticize it now, but with 8 ICC tournaments scheduled for the next 8 years (basically 1 a year, so I’m told) they really not gana struggle for international experience when picking teams. #goals

— Dale Steyn (@DaleSteyn62) February 20, 2021

I may also be completely wrong with the tournament’s scheduled, but that’s what I was told. Regardless, I think it’s pretty genius.

— Dale Steyn (@DaleSteyn62) February 20, 2021

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