Kieron Pollard Believes IPL Auction Will Not Affect Windies Team
Dec 15, 2019 at 3:47 PM
The hosts India and the visiting side Windies have already started to play the series-opener of the three-match ODI series, which is also their last international cricket assignment this year. While IPL auction will be organised between this series, Windies limited-overs captain Kieron Pollard believes that the auction can’t affect the Caribbean team in this series.
At present, Windies are playing the first ODI of the three-match series against the hosts India at Chennai. They will play the next ODI of this series at Visakhapatnam on 18th December – just a day before the IPL auction. Kolkata will host the upcoming IPL auction on 19th December 2019.
Among the 15-member Windies ODI squad for the ongoing away series, ten players are set to go for the bidding fight in the forthcoming IPL auction. These ten Caribbean players are Shai Hope, Sheldon Cottrell, Hayden Walsh Jr, Shimron Hetmyer, Evin Lewis, Alzarri Joseph, Jason Holder, Khary Pierre, Brandon King and Romario Shepherd
While only 73 players can be bought from this auction, it is going to be a tight fight between the participants with high tension.
Getting selected in the IPL is out of your control – Kieron Pollard
However, Kieron Pollard has clarified that the IPL team selection is out of the players’ control, so, it should not affect the Windies cricket team during the ODI series.
Ahead of the Chennai ODI, Pollard said, “Getting selected in the IPL is out of your control. What’s in your control is to go out and perform. Yes, playing in the IPL augurs well financially and experience-wise for the cricketers, but it is not something which should be at the forefront of your minds. You should have the will power to do well every time you get a chance to play irrespective of the tournament.”
Kieron Pollard is one of the famous overseas cricketers in IPL history. He is the second-most capped overseas cricketer in IPL history as he has played 148 matches, all for Mumbai Indians (MI), and has scored 2,755 runs (average 28.69) as well as taken 56 wickets.
You learn a lot from the IPL – Kieron Pollard
Kieron Pollard has admitted that the IPL brings a lot of learning chapters for the cricketers. But he has also added that it is available only for those who also perform well outside the IPL.
Pollard added, “You learn a lot from the IPL. You have the best players playing. There’s no doubt about it. Some of the greatest coaches are there too. In terms of learning and adapting to different situations, it is a huge benefit. But you can be there to get that sort of knowledge only if your performances outside the IPL are at a certain level.”
Kieron Pollard is very happy after his close friend Dwayne Bravo has broken his international retirement as he has decided to return to the T20I cricket.