You Are Going To Have To Stop The Players From Going To IPL: Mickey Arthur To ECB For England's Test Revival

South Africa’s renowned coach Mickey Arthur has suggested England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to bar their national players from playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL).

England was routed 4-0 by Australia in the Ashes 2021-22 Down Under. After their disastrous campaign, cricket pundits have highly criticised England players for preferring to play in the lucrative IPL tournament.

Joe Root, Ben Stokes to play County Championship

As a call to action to rejuvenate England’s Test side, skipper Joe Root and his deputy Ben Stokes decided not to pull out their names from the IPL 2022 auction, the duo will play in the County Championship in order to prepare for their home summer as they host New Zealand for three Tests in June.

Sam Billings (KKR), Jonny Bairstow (PBKS), Mark Wood (LSG) and Jofra Archer (MI) were the top picks from England’s Test squad in the IPL 2022 auction. A report from The Telegraph has mentioned that Archer is likely to miss England’s entire summer but could feature in ‘The Hundred’. Ahead of the IPL 2022 auction, the BCI said that England players will be available for the entire season this year.

You need your best players playing county cricket: Mickey Arthur

Arthur, who has coached national teams like South Africa, Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, opined that county cricket has no flaws and ECB should restrict their players from participating in the IPL.

“England haven’t scored enough runs. It’s as simple as that. If you want to lay the blame, you can lay it right there. County cricket isn’t to blame,” Arthur told The Times.

“For so long county cricket has been a really good producer of international players. I don’t think there’s a problem with the system … If you want the strength early season, unfortunately, you are going to have to stop the players from going to the IPL.

“They are playing there in the early part of the season just before the first tests. You need your best players playing county cricket preparing for that,” he added.

England will play a three-match Test series against West Indies in the Caribbean. England selectors have dropped senior players James Anderson and Stuart Broad for the West Indies Tests along with wicketkeeper-batter Jos Buttler.

Also Read: Struggling To Put Things Into Context – Stuart Broad After Being Ignored For West Indies Test Series