England are being paranoid if they think their players will turn down a central contract to play in the IPL: Michael Vaughan

Former England captain Michael Vaughan isn’t happy with the statement issued by the Director of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB), Ashley Giles, stating that ECB will not force the English players to miss the Indian Premier League (IPL) as it might lead to the big cricketers opting out from playing for the national side.

Vaughan believes that the board is being paranoid by assuming that the players will deny a central contract for playing in franchise cricket. The veteran believes that ECB needs to realize its powers and should be firm regarding the presence of the players for the national team as and when required. The English players are expected to face the dilemma of choosing one among IPL and national duty as the two-match Test series against New Zealand will clash with the business days of IPL 2021.

“England are being paranoid if they think their players will turn down a central contract to play in the IPL. Ashley Giles told my show on the BBC this week that England does not want to go ‘toe-to-toe’ with players over the IPL because in the long run ‘we may face losing some of our best players,” wrote Michael Vaughan in his column for The Telegraph.

Michael Vaughan has a suggestion for ECB

“I think that is a wrong message to be sending. If an England player came to me aged 26 or 27 and said he was choosing the IPL and franchise cricket over an England deal my response would be simple, ‘Go on then, see you later, goodbye, but I tell you what, I bet you come knocking back on my door in a year or two’s time’,” he added.

Further, Vaughan suggested that the ECB can offer the England players a three-year contract rather than binding them in just a one-year central contract as it will motivate the players to always prefer playing for England than in franchise cricket.

“If England really want to make sure it does not happen then why not offer their best players two or three-year central contracts? High-level sport is about looking after the best individuals so give Ben Stokes or Jofra Archer more than a one-year contract. That way you are tying them down. Instead, they have 12-month deals,” said Vaughan.