Buttler: ECB did not ask players to put England Test side before the IPL

hwicketkeeper understands fans’ frustrations over rotation hrajasthan Royals signing says money a significant draw

England’s top players were not asked by the England and Wales Cricket Board whether they would be willing to miss the Indian Premier League and put Test cricket first during this unprecedented year.

Jos Buttler said he can understand why supporters might be upset that he could miss the Lord’s Test against New Zealand on June 2 due to playing in the IPL finals for the Rajasthan Royals, but admitted the money was too good to turn down.

“I completely understand where they’d be coming from. It’s a farfrom-perfect situation and I don’t really have an answer to come back with to be honest,” Buttler said. “I think we’ll have to wait and see where Rajasthan get to. The ECB have said it looked like if you were involved in the IPL you’d be staying. I think that agreement was probably in place before the New Zealand Tests were announced.

“I think the ECB are keeping consistent with where they were at before those games got put in the schedule.

“I think the IPL is obviously very advantageous to a lot of people with the money that is involved. The tournament is the biggest in the whole of cricket in terms of money. Careers can be short. But we know playing for England is a huge draw for everyone and we’re very well remunerated playing for England, we’re very fortunate in that case.

“I completely understand certain people will have an opinion one way and certain people another way. All I can say is the IPL has had an outstanding effect on English cricket so far and the individuals involved in it.”

He also revealed that when drawing up his schedule for the winter England did not ask him whether he would consider missing either part of the forthcoming IPL season or when the tournament was held in October, further evidence it is now just accepted as part of a player’s calendar by the ECB, something that prompted Sir Geoffrey Boycott to label it “too soft” in yesterday’s Daily Telegraph.

“Not as such,” said Buttler when asked if the ECB had at any stage requested he miss the IPL, although it had crossed his mind.

“It is always a consideration as a player. You have to look after yourself as best you can as well. It is always going to be bittersweet if you are missing games with England, but we don’t know how far players are going to get in that tournament. We will wait and see.”

England’s IPL players will have spent almost four months playing in the tournament between the end of last season and the beginning of June. All were rotated at some point during the winter by England to keep them fresh for a year of 17 Tests and a Twenty20 World Cup, weakening the team in a marquee series with India.

England do also see a cricketing advantage from their players rubbing shoulders with the best in the world at the IPL, do not want to antagonise their stars and recognise the New Zealand series was a late addition to the calendar.

But if Buttler helps Rajasthan Royals to the final of the IPL on May 30, England’s team for the first, and probably second Test with New Zealand, will be without him as well as Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer. Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran and Chris Woakes are others to have appeared in Test cricket recently who have IPL contracts and could be similarly affected.

“The IPL is a huge draw for players. It is hugely beneficial to the individual and also to us as an England cricket side,” Buttler said. “It is a big feather in the cap that 12 players are in demand this year to play in the world’s biggest tournament. The obvious benefits are player improvements, and skill you gain especially at the moment with the IPL being played in India, where the World T20 will be played.”

England’s five-match Twenty20 series against India starts on Friday and the tourists will be at full strength. The only other time they have picked their strongest team this winter was for the Twenty20 series in South Africa, while the Test side have been subjected to rotation. “It makes complete sense to be here in India ahead of a World Cup that will be played in these conditions. This is probably the last time