BANGALORE, Aug 17: He does not quite know how it can be worked out but former India captain Rahul Dravid wants an arrangement in which the world’s best cricketers can play in the Indian Premier League without compromising on representing their country in the Test arena.
“I’m not sure what the solution to it is exactly but I would love to be in a situation where the best players can play the IPL as well as represent their country in Test cricket,” Dravid, who led Rajasthan Royals in the previous IPL, said.
“People like Chris Gayle and Kevin Pietersen are fantastic for Test cricket as they are for IPL and T20 cricket. And they have a short window in which to show us their talent,” he added.
“At the end of the day this is the game for the fans. The best players should represent their country — it is not only about the people who come to the ground. It is also for the young boys and girls who passionately follow their country in Test cricket. It is hard and disappointing when the best players don’t turn up to play for their country.”
Dravid insisted that there is need for a compromise formula.
“The reality is the IPL is an important tournament and people do want to play it,” Dravid was quoted as saying on BBC’s Test Match Special at Lord’s during the third Test between England and South Africa.
“And we are probably coming to a stage where maybe a time will come (when) there will need to be give-and-take — whether it is finding a window, or, whether making the tournament a little shorter,” he added.
Asked if the IPL, which lasts for close to two months, was responsible for Kevin Pietersen falling out with the ECB and losing support from his teammates, which led to him missing the Lord’s Test, Dravid said he was not sure whether the mega-event was responsible for the situation. (PTI)
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