IPL 2021: 3 ways the loan window benefits overseas players
The IPL 2021 loan window will allow franchises to borrow players from other squads to fill up the gaps in their team.
A team like Rajasthan Royals are in dire need of overseas players right now. Their squad has not performed up to the mark in IPL 2021 and they have only four foreign options. They can use the loan window to request other franchises to transfer their unused players.
The primary condition for selling a player in the loan window is that the cricketer being traded should not have played more than two matches for his previous team. After the mid-season deal, the player will not be allowed to play against his original franchise.
No IPL team has exercised the loan window yet. However, quite a few overseas players could benefit from their franchises trading them mid-season. Here's how the loan window could help overseas players in IPL 2021.
3. More game time in IPL 2021
The Indian Premier League is the top T20 league on the planet and it is the dream of almost every cricketer to earn a bid at the IPL auction.
Many foreign players have preferred the IPL over other leagues in recent years. However, because of the restrictions which allow only four overseas players to be a part of a playing XI, some highly-talented overseas names are forced to warm the benches in the tournament.
Overseas talents like Chris Lynn, Anrich Nortje, Ben Cutting, Lockie Ferguson, Mitchell Santner, Jason Roy and Dawid Malan are not a part of their respective franchises' starting lineups at the moment.
Staying out of the playing XI for a long time could be demotivating and even a bit frustrating for foreign players while living in the IPL bio-bubble. The other teams in IPL 2021 can use these players and the loan window will allow them to get some much-needed game-time.
2. A chance to interact with the best coaches in the world
All the franchises participating in IPL 2021 have top-quality coaching staff. Big names like Anil Kumble, Brendon McCullum, Wasim Jaffer, Jonty Rhodes, Ricky Ponting, Mohammed Kaif, Shane Bond, Kumar Sangakkara, Mike Hesson, Stephen Fleming, Lakshmipathy Balaji and many others are a part of the various franchises' backroom staff in IPL 2021.
The players who are a part of IPL right now have an opportunity to interact with a particular coaching staff. But in case another franchise gets them on loan, the player will get a chance to interact with another coaching group.
If an upcoming talent like Finn Allen gets signed by RR in the loan window, he can better his skills under Mike Hesson, Simon Katich and Kumar Sangakkara in the same season.
1. Exposure to subcontinental conditions
Over the years, fans have witnessed how foreign players use the IPL to improve their game on Indian pitches. The sub-continental conditions are different compared to the ones in SENA countries.
With the ICC T20 World Cup 2021 set to take place in India, foreign players can adapt to the pitches in the IPL. Someone like Dawid Malan can use this platform to better his game in subcontinental conditions. Unfortunately, Malan is on the bench right now, but he can move to another team in the loan window and get some games.
It will be exciting to see which players switch teams in the loan window.