England players shouldn't play in the IPL: Geoffrey Boycott

“So for me, no IPL, make them settle down and play proper cricket,” says Geoffrey Boycott.

In a conversation with ESPN Cricinfo’s Raunak Kapoor, former England opening batsman Geoff Boycott gave his thoughts on how England should be approaching the next few months. While taking questions from fans all around the globe, Hriday Gattani, a fan from India, had an interesting question for the Yorkshire County Cricket Club President.

The question read: “Geoffrey, after this disastrous Ashes tour, what would be best for the English players in the upcoming season? Should they be forced to play county cricket or do you think they ought to be permitted to play in the IPL? I feel at times, the English cricket cycle is just focussed on one Ashes to another. What’s the best way for a team like England to prepare for upcoming cricket given their current condition, especially with the World Cup in less than a year? Teams like Australia seem more than keen to let their key players play in the IPL. What are your thoughts?”

This is what Boycott had to say: “Well, after this damaging series, England’s batsmen should be held much more accountable than the bowlers. Our players were surprised and shocked to play Mitchell Johnson. There was certain complacency after us winning the last three Ashes series and the batsmen just played irresponsible one-day cricket shots.”

“And so, looking at that and being shocked and saddened by how many good players played awfully, I would pick my Test 12 or 13 for this summer in England and I would play them only in the seven Test matches in the summer in England.”

“I wouldn’t play them in any one-dayers or Twenty20. Get back to basics by playing some county cricket and then play the Test matches as they should be played, as batsmen should be playing over five days.”

“By lessening their cricket, no one-day internationals, they’ll only be playing seven Tests. It’ll prepare them better for the Tests and it’ll also keep them very fresh.”

“So for me, no IPL, make them settle down and play proper cricket. I know the World Cup’s coming along, but England have plenty of time to get ready for that, because they go to Sri Lanka for some one-day matches before Christmas and then they go to Australia after Christmas to play a tri-series with Australia and India just before the World Cup.”