“There should never be international cricket during IPL” – England Captain Jos Buttler on English Players Returning from IPL
The departure of England players from the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 for a four-match T20I series against Pakistan stirred controversy during the lead-up to the playoffs. England’s captain and Rajasthan Royals’ star opener, Jos Buttler, has voiced his opinion that international cricket should not clash with the IPL schedule.
In an interview with Sky Sports following the abandonment of the first T20I due to rain, Buttler expressed his stance: “It’s a unique buildup, which is why we felt it was good to get the players together for this series. In my personal opinion, there should never be any international cricket that clashes with IPL.”
Buttler was integral to the Rajasthan Royals, who coincidentally secured a spot in Qualifier 2 against Sunrisers Hyderabad on the same day.
Shifting his focus to the ongoing series and the upcoming T20 World Cup, Buttler emphasized his current priority as England captain: “But my priority at the moment is being England captain and preparing as best as we can for the world tournament.”
England men’s managing director, Rob Key, recounted Buttler’s insistence on participating in the Pakistan series to prepare for the World Cup. Key mentioned, “As England captain, Buttler immediately expressed his desire to prioritize the T20 series against Pakistan to prepare for the World Cup,” highlighting Buttler’s commitment to national duties.
England and Pakistan will play three more T20Is, concluding on May 30, just a day before the T20 World Cup begins in the Caribbean and the USA. Neither team has scheduled warm-up games before the tournament.
Reflecting on the frustration of the first T20I being called off in Leeds, Buttler shared his disappointment: “It’s frustrating. We’ve had a good couple of days of preparation and everyone was excited for the series. Just putting the England kit back on and playing in England is amazing, so it’s disappointing. But still, three matches, so lots to look forward to.”
The second T20I is set for May 25 at Edgbaston followed by the matches on the 28th and 30th of May in Cardiff and London respectively.
19:30 IST
