Bet no player will leave IPL because they miss their wife, girlfriend or kids, opines Geoffrey Boycott

03/09/2021

Former English opener Geoffrey Boycott is known for wearing his heart on his sleeves and he had no hesitations in calling out the English players as he reckoned that no one will leave IPL for their family as they did recently. He also said that players should be docked money for going back home.

The ECB and the English players have been under fire after they implemented the rest and rotation policy during the recent drubbing at the hands of the India team. India had defeated England 3-1 and had dominated the series barring the Test series opener in Chennai.

Star English player Jos Buttler had returned after the first Test while Jonny Bairstow and Mark Wood weren't available until the Ahmedabad leg of the series. Also, all-rounder, Moeen Ali had left the series after the second Test, to be back at home with his family. Many experts have blamed the rotation policy for England's poor series and Geoffrey Boycott is the latest to slam the board and the players.

The 80-year-old stated that none of the players will leave IPL mid-way like they left the Test series owing to family reasons and said that the ECB shouldn't treat the players in a namby-pamby way.

"England messed up with a rotation policy in India and must stop treating players in a namby-pamby way," Boycott wrote in the Daily Telegraph, reported TOI.

"But I bet you will not see any of our players leaving the IPL because they miss their wife, girlfriend or kids."

He also reckoned that players owe a debt to the country's team and should be docked money for leaving any series mid-way for England.

"Players seem to forget the IPL would not come calling for them if they had not performed for England first. So they owe a debt of gratitude and loyalty to put England first.

"If players want to go home for a break from England duty, dock their money. Better still don't select them unless they can agree to be available for a whole series. I would never stop them from earning that but not by missing games for England to do it."

Boycott also didn't spare the English head coach Chris Silverwood, ECB chief executive Tom Harrison, director of cricket Ashley Giles and chairman of selectors Ed Smith as he said England is run in a 'barmy army way.'

"It is a barmy way to run English cricket, they should all be ashamed and embarrassed," he added.