IPL 2022: Aakash Chopra Feels It Is Difficult For South Africa Players To Opt Between IPL 2022 Or Bangladesh Series

Cricketer-turned-commentator Aakash Chopra said that it will be a difficult choice for South Africa national players to make between IPL 2022 and Bangladesh home series.

South Africa will host Bangladesh for three ODI matches followed by two Tests with the series scheduled to begin on March 18 with the first ODI. The ODI series will end on March 23, three days before the start of IPL 2022.

South Africa-Bangladesh Test series clash with first two weeks of IPL 2022

The first couple of weeks of IPL 2022 will clash with the Test series between South Africa and Bangladesh as the latter will be played between March 31-April 12.

South Africa’s regular Test players like Kagiso Rabada (PBKS), Marco Jansen (SRH), Anrich Nortje (DC), Lungi Ngidi (DC), Aiden Markram (SRH) and Rassie van der Dussen (RR) are expected to be available for their respective IPL franchises considering the quarantine measures.

Very difficult question to address: Aakash Chopra

Just after arriving from New Zealand back home, South Africa Test captain Dean Elgar asked his star players to put the country ahead of their IPL teams. Elgar said playing for the country is bigger than IPL.

Chopra said that white-ball specialists like Quinton de Kock and David Miller might also miss the first few IPL matches in case they participate in the ODI series against Bangladesh.

“South Africa have said that they will tell the players that they have the option, let’s test your loyalty to the nation. Very difficult question to address because the ODI series will start on March 18, the IPL is starting on March 26 and there is a three-day quarantine before that,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel. 

“The three ODIs are on March 18, 20 and 23. Quinton de Kock is an important member here, so he might not be available for the first match. Lucknow Super Giants – think about it, unless he decides to miss those ODIs.

“David Miller is also in the ODI team – it is extremely necessary for the Gujarat Titans to play him but he might not be available at the start. The problems increase after that, there are two Test matches – the first one starts on March 31 and the second ends on April 12,” Chopra said. 

“That means Anrich Nortje, Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, Lungi Ngidi, Rassie van der Dussen, Aiden Markram – all of them are part of the IPL but will probably not be available at the start if they choose to play the Test matches,” he added. 

South Africa levelled the two-match Test series in New Zealand last month with a 198-run victory in the second Test.

Also Read: They Mustn’t Forget Test And ODIs Got Them Into The IPL – Dean Elgar Hoping To Persuade SA Players To Skip Early Part Of IPL 2022