'Very difficult question to address' - Aakash Chopra opens up on South Africa players needing to choose between national duty and IPL 2022

Former India opener Aakash Chopra feels that the choice of picking between the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League and national duty is a “very difficult question” for the South African players, who are scheduled to play three ODIs on March 18, 20 and 23 followed by a two-Test series that runs between March 31 and April 12 against Bangladesh.

Given the bio-bubble protocols, any player entering the IPL bubble needs to mandatorily serve a three-day quarantine and RT-PCR tests before being allowed to join their squad. Therefore, any of South Africa’s IPL-bound players choosing to play the Bangladesh series can, even at the earliest, join their team on April 16.

As it stands, Cricket South Africa (CSA) have left it to players to make their choice and pick either playing Bangladesh series or joining their teams at the IPL, which starts from March 26 and will conclude on May 29.

“South Africa have said that they will tell the players that they have the option, let’s test your loyalty to the nation. Very difficult question to address because the ODI series will start on March 18, the IPL is starting on March 26 and there is a three-day quarantine before that,” Chopra weighed on the matter on his YouTube channel.

“The three ODIs are on March 18, 20 and 23. Quinton de Kock is an important member here, so he might not be available for the first match. Lucknow Super Giants – think about it, unless he decides to miss those ODIs,” he added.

In all, there are nearly a dozen players from South Africa who are a part of the 2022 IPL, including the likes of red-ball mainstays Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje and youngster Marco Jansen, as well as white-ball regulars Quinton de Kock, Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, David Miller and Dwaine Pretorious.

I can’t take the field without my best side: Dean Elgar

In the event of any of the players choosing the IPL over their national assignment, South Africa will be forced to field a depleted side, which is a concern for skipper Dean Elgar, who understandably wants to field his “best side”.

“The players need to give Cricket South Africa an indication of if they are keen to go to the IPL or if they are keen to play for the Test side. It’s a bit of a tough one putting that in the players’ box but this I guess, this is where you see where players’ loyalty lies. They mustn’t forget that Test cricket or one-day cricket got them into the IPL and not the other way around,” Elgar told reporters.

“If I don’t have everyone at my disposal then it’s a little bit difficult. It’s a bit of a tough one for me. I can’t take the field without my best side. I need my best side there. If they are not available, it’s something for us to sit down and get through,” he added.