‘It takes you out of your comfort zone’ – Eoin Morgan on how England cricketers grew after playing in the IPL

England limited-overs captain Eoin Morgan reckons that their players have been benefitted immensely while playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL). The 33-year-old said that in order for the Brits’ player to take part in the T20 tournament, he had to convince England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) Cricket Committee chairman Andrew Strauss, also their former cricketer.

Morgan, who’s currently a part of the Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR), felt that the pressure that comes with the IPL would do a world of good to his teammates. The southpaw talked about how the IPL has helped the Englishmen in dealing with pressure in tournaments like the Champions Trophy and the World Cup.

He asked me what’s different?, says Eoin Morgan

“Playing in IPL was part of Strauss’s plan. I pushed him to make that call because, in international bilateral series, it’s so difficult to replicate the pressure that’s there in Champions Trophy or the World Cup,” Morgan was quoted as saying to Harsha Bhogle on ‘Cricbuzz in Conversation’.

“He asked me what’s different? One, you play as an overseas player so there are huge expectations. If you play in IPL, there’s different pressure and different expectation. Sometimes you can’t get away with it and you have to find a way to deal with it,” he stated.

In the 2013 Champions Trophy, England ended as the runners up and in 2019, Morgan and Co got their hands on the World Cup trophy for the first time. As per Morgan, the IPL takes a player out of the comfort, preparing them for further challenges in the future.

“It takes you out of your comfort zone. It is completely beneficial to play in IPL. That was a big mindset shift for us. And I hope Indian cricket is alright with us because we are using it as a vehicle to try and grow players,” Morgan added.

Morgan has gained a lot of experience, playing in the IPL. In 2010, he made his debut for the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB). He also played for the Sunrisers Hyderabad (SRH) and would be looking for a good show for KKR in the upcoming IPL.