"The IPL family doesn't forget" - Aakash Chopra on the England players opting out
Aakash Chopra believes the IPL franchises will not forget the withdrawal of English players and that they might not be preferred picks in the next auction.
Jonny Bairstow, Dawid Malan and Chris Woakes recently withdrew from the second leg of IPL 2021. While the other IPL 2021 teams such as Sunrisers Hyderabad and the Punjab Kings have already named replacements for Bairstow and Malan, respectively, the Delhi Capitals are yet to pick one for Woakes.
Speaking about these pullouts in a video shared on his YouTube channel, Aakash Chopra pointed out that a plethora of English players will be missing in action. He elaborated:
"Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer, Ben Stokes - they were already not coming. But now Dawid Malan, Chris Woakes and Jonny Bairstow have also taken their name back. That means half a dozen English players will not be part of the IPL. It has been a mass exodus. The IPL family doesn't forget."
The former KKR player added that such an action by the players is akin to betraying a franchise. Aakash Chopra said:
"The English players will have to keep this thing slightly in mind that when you pull out your name from an IPL season, the franchise that has bought you feels cheated, they feel you have been betrayed by them."
The absence of Archer, Stokes and Buttler was known beforehand and they have valid reasons for the same. But the last-minute withdrawals of Bairstow, Malan and Woakes would have certainly hurt the IPL team owners and their respective franchises.
You can also check out IPL 2021 schedule here.
Aakash Chopra on the impact on the IPL franchises
While acknowledging that the pandemic has taken a mental toll on players, Aakash Chopra highlighted that team strategies may have gone haywire with sudden withdrawals. He explained:
"Of course, these are tough times. We do understand all of that but it remains in the mind that I had gone with you and had created my strategy after a lot of thinking, you were an important cog of my wheel, but the cog has left."
While also citing the example of Mitchell Starc, the cricketer-turned-commentator said that such players might not attract huge bids in the upcoming IPL auction. Aakash Chopra observed:
"This means when the auction happens the next time, they have an elephant's memory, they will definitely not forget who all had come and who all left. And because of this when they say that Mitchell Starc will be paid a lot, it is possible he may not get it because when you take back your name twice it remains in the mind of all teams."
The IPL team owners franchises have already complained to the BCCI about the late withdrawal of English players. They have highlighted that their actions are a breach of the agreement between the two parties.