Amid the current public health crisis in India, England players are set to continue participating in the IPL this year.
Reece Topley avoided being a late injury substitute in this year’s competition with a new deadline for county players to sign IPL contracts. The cut off date was set for 28 February 2021, 10 days after the agreement on the sale for this season which is expected to be followed by a similar structure in years to come. The date is for players who receive their main paycheck from their County instead of the England Cricket Board (ECB).
The retreat of Josh Hazlewood, the modification of the new directives refused Topley the opportunity to join Chennai Super Kings, which at last took account of Jason Behrendorff.
Topley said “There was an opportunity to go out”. “It’s unfortunate – I was really keen to go, but there’s something in place that means English county players can’t go out as replacements.
“Jason went but he’s contracted to the ECB, whereas I’m contracted to Surrey, and I fell under that rule. It was something I’d have liked to have done but those are the rules.”
Topley’s inaccessibility to the IPL saw him play two from Surrey’s initial three setting titles, taking match figures from 6 to 126 in first round games with Gloucestershire and 4 to 61 in Lord’s last week with the Middlesex.