England’s limited over skipper Eoin Morgan admitted that the Indian Premier League (IPL) has benefited many English players and has played a huge part in his team’s rise in the shorter formats of the game.
IPL has played a massive role in nurturing many players across the globe and it has once again given rise to the debate of club versus country.
Earlier many English pundits slammed England players for prioritizing IPL over national duty.
Addressing the press conference ahead of the start of the T20I series against India, England captain Eoin Morgan while talking about the criticism of England players for playing in the IPL said that his teammates have benefited from it. He added that IPL played a huge part in his team’s development.
"Yeah, we have benefitted from it (the IPL) massively and we are thankful for it and it has been a huge part in our development, particularly in the 50-over campaign towards the 2019 World Cup," Eoin Morgan said during a virtual press conference.
Morgan, who is the skipper of Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR ), said that with two T20 World Cups ahead, England players will continue to participate in the IPL as it helps in gaining huge experience and confidence.
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"So, with two T20 World Cups almost around the corner from each other, hopefully, we are going to continue to participate in the best and the biggest T20 tournament in the world. We gain huge experience and confidence from that," he said.
Talking further about the IPL, Morgan called the exposure in the tournament 'priceless' for an overseas player.
"I think, it (the IPL experience) is huge. I think even regardless of the players involved in the World Cup, the development process that they go through just by being there, rubbing shoulders with the best in the world, being exposed to the pressures of being an overseas player in the biggest tournament in the world, priceless in many ways," said Eoin Morgan.
Morgan admitted that from a personal point of view, he has learnt a lot by playing in the IPL.
“Certainly, the first few times I went to the IPL, I never (had) gone through an experience like it, and I have learnt a huge amount over the years that I have been there. So, the value in it given the year (that is there) is brilliant, particularly now it is being held in India," he concluded.
England will lock horns against India in a five-match T20I series, starting 12th March. The five T20I matches will be played on March 12, 14, 16, 18, and 20 at Narendra Modi Stadium in Motera, Ahemdabad.
(PTI inputs)
