Joe Root will be missing the triangular T20I series following the ongoing series involving Australia and New Zealand. Having played in each of the five-match Ashes Test series, the English skipper will now return back home for a break after the ongoing ODIs against Australia, and join the team back for the five-match ODI series in New Zealand, starting February 25.
Root has admitted to feeling uncomfortable with the prospect of being rested for England’s Twenty20 tri-series with Australia and New Zealand while still going ahead with his plan to play in the IPL.
Root has been playing continuous cricket much like India skipper Virat Kohli and the team management feels that the T20I tri-series is a gateway to give him some much-needed rest.
“I hate missing games of cricket for England. It is something that doesn’t really sit well with me either. It was a long, hard decision that me and Trevor had to come to,” said Root, speaking about the IPL for the first time since his entry was confirmed last week.
“You look at the amount of cricket that we have got coming up and the opportunity that the IPL brings and you almost have to look at it as more of an investment for my game and for all the England team moving forward".
“If being involved in that block of cricket, with everything that tournament brings, is going to add more to my game for the next four or five years then missing a few games here might be worthwhile.”
Root resting now and being available for the IPL has thrown up some questions out in the open which are debatable. This opens up the never-ending debate of county over country or more specifically choosing franchise cricket over international cricket.
Regarding his participation in his very first IPL he added further “Of course, there is a money side to it, there is no point lying about it. That is obviously a benefit of playing in the IPL but that is not why I went into the auction,” said Root. “I really believe playing a block of Twenty20 cricket with that scrutiny, being under pressure for long periods of time against the world’s players in that format would be a great opportunity to develop and learn my white-ball game.
“With the two major tournaments in white-ball cricket around the corner that is what going there is all about, to gain experience in the short form and work with other players around the world who have had a huge amount of exposure to Twenty20 cricket, and see some different coaches" concluded Root.
