The England Cricket Board (ECB) director Ashley Giles precisely stated that England won’t be changing any of their summers schedule to accommodate the VIVO IPL 2021 restart.
Some of the English players will be rested for the series against Pakistan and Bangladesh which is scheduled during the rearranged IPL 2021. However, Giles stated that the rested won’t be going elsewhere to play cricket.
“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”, said Giles.
Giles also explained calling Sam Billings in the England squad for the New Zealand tour as a reserve wicket-keeper. Billings who was also a part of the suspended IPL along with Jos Buttler and Jonny Bairstow were a suitable option as a pick. However, Billings didn’t participate much in the Indian League compared to the other two English men making him return expeditious.
“That was the case with Billings. He went back to Kent and played some cricket to put himself in the frame. Communication was made from [head coach] Chris Silverwood to those players [Bairstow and Buttler] about what the plan was. We felt there was no need to go back on that. Jos is away for a few days at the moment. We didn’t want to drag those players out of that at the 11th hour. There was no plan to change that.” Giles added.