IPL 2021: Franchises Will Feel You Betrayed And Cheated Them: Aakash Chopra

Cricketer turned commentator Aakash Chopra criticised England cricketers who pulled out their names for their respective IPL teams at the last minute and chose not to participate in the second half of IPL 2021.

Recently Sunrisers Hyderabad batsman Jonny Bairstow, Punjab Kings batsman Dawid Malan and Delhi Capitals all-rounder Chris Woakes made themselves unavailable for the second phase of IPL 2021 in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

England players opted to stay with their families as England has a busy schedule ahead with T20 World Cup coming up right after the IPL and in December they are scheduled to travel to Australia for the Ashes.

Half a dozen English players will not be part of the IPL, it has been a mass exodus: Aakash Chopra

England all-rounder Ben Stokes and pace bowler Jofra Archer were ruled out in the first half of the tournament itself with the duo’s Rajasthan Royals teammate Jos Buttler also made himself unavailable as he wishes to spend time with his second-born child.

Chopra said that somewhere around the corner the franchises might feel betrayed and the fans might not forget such moves and called it a ‘mass exodus.’

“Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer, Ben Stokes – they were already not coming. But now Dawid Malan, Chris Woakes and Jonny Bairstow have also taken their name back. That means half a dozen English players will not be part of the IPL. It has been a mass exodus. The IPL family doesn’t forget,” Chopra said on his YouTube channel. 

“The English players will have to keep this thing slightly in mind that when you pull out your name from an IPL season, the franchise that has bought you feels cheated, they feel you have been betrayed by them,” he added. 

It is possible that Mitchell Starc may not be paid a lot because he pulled out twice: Aakash Chopra

Players have been going through a lot since the emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, especially where they have to adapt and adhere to various bio-secure bubbles.

But Chopra, while acknowledging the tough time players go through, also noted that franchises might not consider them in the upcoming IPL auctions while citing the example of Australian pacer Mitchell Starc.

“Of course, these are tough times. We do understand all of that but it remains in the mind that I had gone with you and had created my strategy after a lot of thinking, you were an important cog of my wheel, but the cog has left,” Chopra mentioned. 

“This means when the auction happens the next time, they have an elephant’s memory, they will definitely not forget who all had come and who all left. And because of this when they say that Mitchell Starc will be paid a lot, it is possible he may not get it because when you take back your name twice it remains in the mind of all teams,” Chopra concluded.

England were recently involved in a five-match Test series against India which could not be concluded due to the COVID-19 scare.

Also Read: IPL 2021: England Stars Jonny Bairstow, Chris Woakes And Dawid Malan Pull Out Of UAE Leg – Reports