ICC must have window for IPL, feels Rahul Dravid

By CricketCountry Staff

 

London: Aug 17, 2012

 

Former India cricketer Rahul Dravid has called for an official window for the cash-rich Indian Premier League, asserting that it will ensure the best players will be available for playing Test cricket for their respective countries.

 

Dravid, who is presently in London for the Marylebone Cricket Committee’s meetings, said BBC’s Test Match Special that IPL is an important tournament and no cricket would like to miss it.

 

"The reality is the IPL is an important tournament and people do want to play it. 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,” Dravid said.

 

England’s discarded star cricketer Kevin Pietersen has long been in discussions with the England and Wales Cricket Board in order to make room for a full season of IPL next year, which didn’t go down well with many in the English cricket fraternity.

 

The Indian batting legend cited the examples of Pietersen and West Indies cricketer Chris Gayle, who remained sidelined from the Caribbean side due to his differences with the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB), NDTV reported.

 

"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," he 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. At the end of the day, this is the game for the fans,” he added.

 

Dravid stated, “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."

 

"There are some positives with the IPL and you have to understand that if the top players in the world want to play it and people want to watch, then there is got to be something good about it is as well.

 

"It does affect the England season particularly, especially since traditionally the English season has been the same for many, many years. So it is challenging that a little bit.

 

"In time, we are getting to that stage where all of us want the best players playing (Test cricket). We all want Chris Gayle playing for West Indies whenever West Indies play a Test match.

 

None of us wants to see a situation today where a great player like Kevin misses out for whatever reasons and I don't want to get into that. But it is disappointing. The game is a loser when the top players don't play Test cricket,” Dravid concluded.