IPL 2022: Declined An IPL Offer To Focus On Tests: Saqib Mahmood

IPL 2022: England pace bowler Saqib Mahmood, in a recent press conference, revealed that he declined an offer to play in the Indian Premier League during the West Indies Test series.

Saqib Mahmood made his Test debut in the recently concluded Test series against the West Indies. England lost the 3 match series 1-0.

Ben Stokes’ Had A Role To Play In Mahmood’s Decision To Decline The IPL Offer

Saqib Mahmood has been on the selection radar for the English Test team for a while. He has been around the side for quite a while. He got the opportunity to finally play for the Test team against the West Indies.

Veteran English pacers Stuart Broad and James Anderson were dropped from the side that toured for the Ashes which created a controversy, injuries to Olly Stone and Ollie Robinson also paved the way for Saqib to make his debut.

Saqib took 6 wickets in the series and played a vital knock as well in one of the tests.

“I turned down an IPL offer just to be here playing for Lancashire and try to push my red-ball credentials. I got an offer while we were out in the Caribbean and it was a decision I had to make,” Mahmood said, at a press conference at Emirates Old Trafford.

“I spoke to a couple of the guys around me and felt as though it was in my best interests at the moment to focus on red-ball cricket. Hopefully, that can highlight my ambition to play Test cricket and to give myself the best chance to do that by performing here for Lancashire,” he added.

It must be noted that the likes of Joe Root and Ben Stokes made a conscious decision to not be part of the IPL after their Ashes debacle.

Ben Stokes’ had also a role to play in Saqib Mahmood declining the offer. “That was my choice. It was funny because it came from a conversation I had with Stokesy over breakfast one morning.

“I got talking to him about why he didn’t go to the IPL and he said he wanted to prioritize red-ball cricket and be a part of the squad moving forward,” Mahmood revealed about a conversation he had with Stokes on the day he received a call from a franchise to come in as a replacement player.

He further said that after his conversion with Stokes, he realised that he wants to focus on red-ball cricket as compared to franchise cricket.

Also Read: Stuart Broad Plays Down England Test Captain’s Role; Aim On Test Side Return First