Root keeps it real
TEST CAPTAIN WENT UNSOLD IN THE PLAYERS’ AUCTION IN FEBRUARY
England Test captain holds no grudges about exclusion from IPL and says his teammates will benefit from the experience |
England Test captain Joe Root is not bitter about his exclusion from this year’s Indian Premier League (IPL) and believes his teammates playing in the Twenty20 tournament will hugely benefit from the experience.
The 27-year-old led England on their gruelling tour of Australia, where they suffered a 4-0 Ashes defeat, followed by another Test series loss in New Zealand in March.
Root went unsold in the IPL players’ auction in February but does not grudge several England players who are in India to showcase their talents in the ongoing tournament.
“It’s not frustration watching the other guys,” Root told Sky Sports Cricket.
“…I went into the IPL auction to get a bit more exposure to T20 cricket, it didn’t materialise, it would have been nice to be involved in that but I’ve got no bitter feelings towards the other guys, I think it’s great.”
Root is instead watching his England teammates, including all-rounder Ben Stokes and wicketkeeper batsman Jos Buttler, play in the eight-team league and believes their experience will strengthen the team.
“They’ll benefit hugely from it and we, as a side, will benefit hugely from it. Look at the way Jos and Ben and a few guys came back from it last year and what it has brought to their games…” Root said.
“Hopefully, that can happen on a wider scale with more and more players going out there from English cricket, playing under scrutiny and in the highpressure situations that that tournament brings, it can only be a good thing for us in the long term.”
Root has completed a little over a year in his captaincy role and following the underwhelming results over the last few months, the skipper is predicting significant changes to his team.
“Looking forward, there will be changes, especially long-term and then it is up to guys to come in and take the opportunities,” Root said. “… I want us to keep searching for ways to be a really effective side in a number of different conditions.”
Only 6 of 24 selected
England take on Pakistan in a two-match Test series beginning next month.
Root, however, was not the only top-notch England player to receive a cold shoulder. Only total of six England players out of 24 entered in the auction found favour with the franchises as Eoin Morgan, their captain in the shorter formats, was also left out.