Aussie coach Langer says 2020 edition of IPL cause for growing injury list

Oz coach says 2020 edition cause for growing injury list

Brisbane, Jan. 13: He loves the IPL but Australia coach Justin Langer on Wednesday questioned the timing of the last year’s edition, which he believes could have been a contributing factor in the injury setbacks that both his and the Indian team have endured in the ongoing series.

The IPL was held in the September-November window in 2020 in the United Arab Emirates due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The lucrative tournament is usually held in India during the April-May window.

India have had a spate of injuries since the IPL and also in the current Australia series. Australia too had its share of injuries.

“It is really interesting how many injuries (it) has been throughout this summer. I can’t help and think that the IPL this year (2020) was in really, probably wasn’t ideal timing for anyone, certainly for such a big series like this,” Langer said.

The latest addition to the Indian injury list is Ravindra Jadeja and pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah. For Australia, David Warner was a big blow but he recovered in time for the last two Tests.

Langer was all praise for the IPL saying it helps in development of young players but was critical of the previous edition’s timing. “I love the IPL, I look at IPL now like I used to look at county cricket for our young players. They go and play county cricket and it helps them (in) their cricket development enormously, I think it is the same with the IPL, helps their white-ball development. But the timing of it... because of what happened with Covid... probably wasn’t ideal, and I just wonder whether that is having an impact on the injuries that we are seeing for both teams throughout the summer, so I’m sure they’ll review that.”