England players likely to miss IPL playoffs for NZ series
What's the story
England players are expected to miss the playoffs stage of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2022 due to national commitments. England will kick off their home summer with a three-match Test series against world champions New Zealand in June. Though BCCI is yet to announce IPL's schedule, it is expected to run from the last week of March to late May.
Context
Why does it matter?
Although England's red-ball fixture and IPL dates are not colliding, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) is expected to withdraw their Test players to prepare for the series, especially considering their disastrous Ashes tour Down Under. According to Cricbuzz, IPL teams have also been given indication that they could lose England's Test players during the latter stage of the tournament.
Details
How many England players will leave IPL early?
It depends upon how many English players get picked during the auction and how many of them will be included in England's Test squad for the NZ series. A total of 22 players have registered for IPL. Jos Buttler has been retained by Rajasthan Royals. The trio of Joe Root, Ben Stokes, and Chris Woakes has not signed up for the auction.
Information
When will England players leave?
It depends upon the scheduling of the IPL and when it will get concluded. ECB's decision whether they want their Test players to play any Championship match to prepare for the high-profile NZ series will also play a role in their early departure.
Statement
ECB chief executive Tom Harrison: Test cricket is our priority
"Our priority is Test. We want to be successful at white-ball cricket, of course, we do, but we need to be successful at Test cricket," Harrison had said after the Ashes debacle. "It feels like this is a moment to reset the importance of red-ball cricket in our domestic schedule, for us to recalibrate how we play first-class cricket in the UK," he added.
Stats
England's Test performance since the start of 2021
England had a horrid outing in the red-ball format in 2021. They played 15 Test matches in the previous year and managed to win just four of them while losing nine games. Two games ended in a draw. Out of four, England recorded two victories against Sri Lanka and two against India. They played two games in 2022, lost one while drawing the other.
2021-22 Ashes
England lost 2021-22 Ashes by a 0-4 margin
England lost the 2021-22 Ashes series by a 0-4 margin. Australia humbled England by nine wickets in the first game at Gabba. They hammered the visitors by 275 runs in the pink-ball Test in Adelaide. Australia won the Boxing Day Test by an innings and 14 runs. The Sydney Test was drawn. Australia won the fifth (D/N) Test at Hobart by 146 runs.