The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : ‘Don’t give up National duty for IPL’

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‘Don’t give up National duty for IPL’

London: The ICC’s principal advisor I.S. Bindra has warned cricketers against giving up their central contracts to participate in the cash-rich Indian Premier League (IPL), saying the Twenty20 event will not accept any rebel.

Mr. Bindra, also a member of the IPL governing board, urged players to be patient and wait for the league to adjust itself in the cricket calendar.

“That solution (players rejecting central contracts) is not acceptable to us,” Mr. Bindra told BBC Sport. “We will not have any player revolting against his establishment and becoming part of the IPL,” he added.

His comments came in the wake of England Cricket Board’s refusal to allow its players to participate in the next edition of the IPL, which triggered speculation that the cricketers might revolt against the move.

Not a rebel tournament

Apart from this, a players’ survey in Australia also revealed that easy money on offer in IPL was too tempting for the cricketers to resist and they were willing to give up national duty for it. However, Mr. Bindra said the IPL does not wish to be labelled a rebel tournament by allowing revolting players to participate.

Mr. Bindra said he would speak to ECB chairman Giles Clarke during the IPL inauguration in Bangalore to work out a window for English players.

All concerns about a players’ revolt would be mitigated once the ICC finds a permanent slot for the IPL in the international calendar, he said. — PTI

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