South Africa Test captain Dean Elgar has appealed to his players, especially bowlers to choose international cricket over IPL. Notable that the two test match series between South Africa and Bangladesh is all set to clash with the IPL 2022. It’s likely that none of their first-choice pace attack would be available for the series as Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, and Marco Jansen all have an IPL contract.
The first Test match will be played at Kingsmead, Durban from March 31 and St. George Park at Port Elizabeth will host the second match from April 8. So Cricket South Africa wants to know the availability status of the players in advance.
“Just this morning I got off a call with the respective personnel at CSA to try and give us a guideline as to whether the players will be available or not. The outcome of that meeting is that the players need to give CSA an indication whether they’re keen to go to the IPL or if they’re keen to play for the Test side,” Elgar spoke in an online press conference on Friday.
Elgar gave a hint that all frontline bowlers would choose IPL ahead of international commitments.
“I need my best players”- Dean Elgar
“It’s a tough one leaving that up to the players, but this is how we’ll see where their loyalty lies. They mustn’t forget that Test and one-day cricket got them into the IPL, not the other way around. That’s all I can give you now. I wish I had more, just for my own personal sanity. So I can prepare, knowing that most of my bowlers are potentially not going to be there if they choose to go the IPL route. Hopefully by next week that will be clearer for us,” he added.
He also highlighted the fact that both venues historically are helpful for slower bowlers so it won’t be a straightforward one. Sri Lanka beat the hosts on same venues in 2019 to win their first-ever series in the rainbow nation.
“The venues are more suited for the opposition; I think that brings them into the game. I can’t take the field without my best side, in order to give ourselves the best chance. I need my best players,” Dean Elgar stated.
However, Elgar also said that he would understand players’ decisions if they choose IPL.
“You don’t want players to miss out on a big occasion like the IPL, by no means. But I’d still like to think playing for your country is bigger than that,” he concluded.
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