IPL cannot dim out Ashes rivalry: Eoin Morgan

England captain Eoin Morgan recently admitted that the IPL is a great platform for players from different countries to gel up as a unit but stressed on the fact this does not necessarily dim out the international rivalries in the sport among the players.

Speaking particularly about the Ashes, the left-handed batsman quoted that the England-Australia rivalry for the Ashes is a result of intense battles over the years and hence the rivalry will never fade away. “This rivalry has shaped up over a century of intense cricket, since the start of the game, in fact. It has always been there. So it isn’t a case of it building up or coming down, it is there regardless of what kind of cycle the teams are in or how international cricket is shaping up. It is a rivalry where previous success doesn’t matter. Whether you are playing in the Ashes or playing against Australia in a World Cup, the stakes are always high,” quoted Morgan in an interview with cricket.com.au.

The players from both countries share great camaraderie in the IPL. For instance, Morgan plays under the leadership of David Warner in the Sunrisers Hyderabad team. Speaking about the T20 setup back in England, the skipper said that it would be great if England could get their own franchise cricket on the lines of IPL and BBL. He also said it would be great for England if more English players play in the IPL.

“With the passage of time, I think we will see more and more English cricketers play in the IPL. This year, in particular, there have been huge moves to get more players involved in this tournament, and not just here, you can also see the same in the Big Bash League. The likes of David Willey, Michael Carberry, Jos Buttler, so on, and myself, we are involved in franchise cricket there. I am also hopeful that we will have our own franchise-based T20 competition sooner rather than later, and maybe we can replicate something like the IPL or BBL back in England,” said Morgan.

When asked about how has his journey in the IPL been like, having moved across from Royal Challengers Bangalore to Kolkata Knight Riders and now in Sunrisers Hyderabad, Morgan said the IPL makes a player appreciate the opportunities. He cited that every year, there has been a new takeaway.

He quoted, “ Every year has been a different experience. At the beginning of my career, when I first came to the IPL with Bangalore, it was more about the passion and culture of cricket that is played in India. The further I have played here it has been about playing under the pressure of being an overseas player. You are only one of four allowed in the eleven, and sometimes you are chosen ahead of some other players, so that experience has been something else. It keeps you grounded as well as makes you appreciate opportunities whenever you get them.”

Also, read – Natwest T20 Blast not as great as IPL: Jos Buttler