England have no plans to change schedule to accommodate IPL: Ashley Giles

Tags: India tour of England, 2021, India, England, Ashley Fraser Giles

Published on: May 27, 2021

England’s managing director Ashley Giles has confirmed that they have no plans to tweak their schedule to accommodate the IPL, which is likely to resume in the second half of September. Giles also reiterated that England players won’t be released for the second half of the IPL as the team priority comes first.

England are scheduled to play international matches at the time IPL is likely to restart. Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes (Rajasthan Royals), Sam Curran and Moeen Ali (Chennai Super Kings) and Jonny Bairstow (Sunrisers Hyderabad) are some of the big names from England who have contracts with IPL franchises.

While Giles conceded that some players might be rested from the tours of Bangladesh and Pakistan, he stressed that they wouldn't be allowed to play cricket elsewhere. Speaking at an ECB event, Giles said, "I'm not aware of anything official, any requests to shift anything. As far as we're concerned and what we're prepared for, the matches will be where they are. I'm not surprised there's all sorts of speculation. Everyone wants to get their cricket in. But we've not received anything official and we're cracking on.”

"We have a full schedule. If we go from the end of the fifth Test in September, we are set to leave for Bangladesh on September 19 or 20. We have a full schedule right through including Pakistan and wherever the T20 World Cup is,” he added.

India’s series against England will end on September 14. After the Bangladesh series, England will go to Pakistan for two T20Is and matches will be held in mid-October. As per some media reports, IPL 2021 is likely to be held from September 18 to October 12 (tentatively).

On the likely break for some players, Giles explained that the objective is to keep the players fresh for the T20 World Cup and the Ashes challenges. He added in this regard, "We are going to have to give some of these guys a break at some point. But the intention of giving guys a break for, say, Bangladesh, wouldn't be for them to go and play cricket elsewhere. We have to manage our schedule now, so we get our guys arriving in the best shape possible for the T20 World Cup and the Ashes."

India are set to tour England for six Tests, beginning with the World Test Championsip (WTC) final against New Zealand in Southampton from June 18. The first Test of the five-match series against England will get underway in Nottingham from August 4

--By A Cricket Correspondent

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