IPL 2021: Jos Buttler pulls out of the second leg in UAE

Rajasthan Royals were dealt with a body blow as their star player Jos Buttler has made himself unavailable for the remainder of the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021, which is scheduled to take place from September 19 in the UAE. Speculations were rife that England and Australian players won’t be available for the reaming 31 games due to a packed calendar year. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) officials were contemplating having the discussion with the foreign boards.

And now this news of Buttler being unavailable for the rest of the matches only validates the point as to more and more players might opt-out. England have a busy calendar year with Sri Lanka, Pakistan, and India set to play the shorter formats and the Test series respectively.

The Royals wicketkeeper-batter elaborated on how the IPL generally does not clash with other tournaments or any bi-lateral international series but due to COVID-19, the BCCI had to push the league to UAE in the month of September.

“Usually the IPL doesn’t clash with any international cricket. When it does clash, probably England will take precedence,” Buttler was quoted as saying by the BBC.

Will play where Ashley Giles says: Jos Buttler

The England dashing batter also mentioned it is entirely up to Ashley Giles, England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) director, to take a call on players’ participation in the second half of the IPL. “[Will play] Where Ashley Giles says,” he responded.

Giles had earlier given a statement on how England’s commitments of players will make them harder to play the league, as a T20 World Cup too is around the corner which will take place in the month of October.

Before COVID-19 put a full stop to the IPL, Buttler’s moment in the sun came, as he smashed a brilliant hundred against Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH). He scored 124 off just 64 balls and finally gave a reply to Alastair Cook’s sly dig at the batter who mocked him for not scoring a century yet in the shortest format. Incidentally, that hundred was the first one Buttler hit in the T20s.