‘Goodbye’ to players who choose IPL over England team: Vaughan

Michael Vaughan has urged England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to recognize its ‘power’ and say ‘goodbye’ to players who choose the Indian Premier League (IPL) over their national team.

Vaughan, while writing in his column for the Telegraph, referred to a recent interview with ECB director Ashley Giles who expressed his apprehension over players quitting national duty for franchise cricket. He argued that the ECB is being ‘paranoid’ and suggested an outright rejection of such players until they return in a time of need.

“England are being paranoid if they think their players will turn down a central contract to play in the IPL. Ashley Giles told my show on the BBC this week that England do not want to go ‘toe-to-toe’ with players over the IPL because in the long run ‘we may face losing some of our best players,” wrote Michael Vaughan.

“I think that is a wrong message to be sending. If an England player came to me aged 26 or 27 and said he was choosing the IPL and franchise cricket over an England deal my response would be simple, ‘Go on then, see you later, goodbye, but I tell you what, I bet you come knocking back on my door in a year or two’s time’,” he added.

The former England skipper also suggested roadblocks and called upon the ECB to extend the central contracts of players like Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer for at least a few years.

Vaughan further compared franchise cricket to the English Premier League (football), which is exceedingly more popular than international fixtures. He warned that cricket might soon reach a similar stage where international cricket goes on a downward spiral.

The upcoming season of the IPL kicks off on April 9. In the opening match, RCB will take on defending champions Mumbai Indians in Chennai.