Weekend Argus (Saturday Edition)
IPL creates test of loyalty for Proteas, says Elgar
DEAN Elgar has a challenging few weeks ahead of him as he seeks to convince some of South Africa’s IPLbound players about their responsibilities to the Proteas’ Test unit.
While still recovering after arriving back from New Zealand, Elgar held a meeting with Cricket SA about the Indian Premier League and the effect it could have on player availability for the two-match Test series against Bangladesh – which forms part of the ICC World Test Championship. Those two matches are scheduled for March 30 to April 3 and April 7 to 11. The IPL, the most lucrative T20 league in the world, starts on March 26.
There are 11 South African players contracted with different IPL teams, six of whom are likely starters for the Proteas Test team, including fast bowlers Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje and Lungi Ngidi.
Cricket SA informed Elgar that the decision about whether to play those Tests, or head to the IPL, where they would have to serve a mandatory three-day quarantine before release, would be dependent on each player.
“It’s a headache,” said South Africa’s Test captain. “It’s tough putting that in the players’ box, but this is where you see where a player’s loyalty lies. They mustn’t forget that Test cricket and One-Day cricket got them into the IPL – not the other way around.”
Elgar said he would personally contact each of those players heading to the IPL to see where they stood. “I reckon the next few days might be busy and interesting for me,” he commented.
“I owe it to the group and those individuals to give them the chance to make a decision and if it means I have to make them aware of their positions in the side then I have to do that. For me it’s about the bigger picture, it’s about us playing as much Test cricket as possible. We already play so little Test cricket and we can’t not have our best players around when the team is called upon to perform.”
Meanwhile Elgar also said that while the next few weeks don’t feature any first class cricket, he was hopeful that players could use whatever playing time they get, to try and find some rhythm for those Tests. “Whether it’s in domestic cricket or the One-Day series, the players will have to maximise those opportunities, although, it’s obviously not ideal that there is no red ball cricket.”
South Africa will face Bangladesh in three ODIs, starting on March 18, that form part of the ICC World Super League, which determines the automatic qualification berths for next year’s World Cup.
Bangladesh currently sits atop that log. South Africa is 10th.
BANGLADESH SQUADS ODI:
Tamim Iqbal (Captain), Liton Das, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Shakib al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mahmudullah, Afif Hossain, Mehidy Hasan, Mustafizur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Shoriful Islam, Ebadot Hossain, Nasum Ahmed, Yasir Ali Chowdhury, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Syed Khaled Ahmed
Test:
Mominul Haque (Captain), Tamim Iqbal, Mahmudul Hasan Joy, Najmul Hossain Shanto, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib al
Hasan, Liton Das, Yasir Ali Chowdhury, Taijul Islam, Mehidy Hasan, Taskin Ahmed, Abu Jayed, Ebadot Hossain, Shoriful Islam, Shohidul Islam, Syed Khaled Ahmed, Shadman Islam, Nurul Hasan.