sam Curran, the England all-rounder, who made quite a name for himself in the IPL 2020 and IPL 2021 for the Chennai Super Kings, says though he is gutted to miss out on playing in IPL 2022, he feels that this season came a bit too soon, as he nurses a back injury.
Curran, who also became an integral part of England setup as well, felt a sharp ping in his lower back during the IPL 2021, and later scans at home revealed a lower back stress fracture. Though he wanted to put his name in the IPL 2022 auction, he was advised against it by the ECB medical staff.
He says that he is gutted to be missing out but feels that his decision to opt-out of the auction was the right one. Considering the status of his injury, he feels that it would have been too soon to return to cricket.
"I'm gutted not to be there. It's a frustration watching from home. I wanted to go (into the auction) but I didn't at the end - which was probably the best decision. Looking back, IPL probably came a little bit too soon," Curran told ESPNcricinfo."
"I definitely want to go back (to the IPL) at some stage because you learn so much about your T20 game there: it's a tournament when you live and breathe cricket. You go down for breakfast every day and you're sitting with superstars, sitting down and chatting about the game."
Looking ahead, he plans to be back on the field next week playing the opening encounter for Surrey against Warwickshire in the County Championship at Edgbaston. The primary goal, he says, remains to get his place back in the team for the Test series against New Zealand in July and the T20 World Cup in October.
"It's been a long winter. I'd never really experienced an injury before and missing out on what I have has been pretty hard. They're probably the two biggest series or tournaments as a player: a World Cup for your country and an Ashes series down under," he said.
"...for now, it's about starting these first six Championship games, trying to put in performances for myself and for Surrey. The Test matches in June are my initial goal and the end goal is probably the World Cup."
