Former cricketer Michael Atherton feels that English players should not miss international duty at the expense of playing in the Indian Premier League (IPL). 

Atherton’s comments came following England’s horrendous campaign in the ongoing Ashes 2021-22 in Australia. The Joe Root-led side has been at the receiving end of big defeats in the first three matches of the five-Test series. 

England first suffered a 9-wicket thumping in Gabba and then was decimated in a 275-run thrashing in the day-night Test in Adelaide. After suffering two humiliating losses, many expected England to stage a comeback especially after the fight shown by them in the second innings of the pink-ball Test. 

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But this wasn’t the case as their batting let them down yet again and they suffered massive innings and 14 runs defeat to go 0-3 down in the series and lose the Ashes 2021-22, with two matches to go. 

England’s poor show in the Ashes 2021-22 has invited a lot of criticism as many fans and pundits are of the opinion that the Joe Root-led side doesn’t take Test cricket seriously. 

Writing in his column for The Times, Micheal Atherton said that English players shouldn’t miss international duty to play in IPL, and management also shouldn’t rest or rotate players.

He pointed out that during IPL, ECB washes its hands of the leading multi-format players who are paid seven-figure sums. 

“Players should not miss international duty to play in the IPL, nor be rested and rotated to allow them to play elsewhere. The carry-on during the winter, and at the start of the English summer, should not happen again. 

“The leading multi-format players are paid seven-figure sums, but, incredibly, the ECB washes its hands of them for two months of the year during the Indian Premier League,” Michael Atherton said. 

Atherton further said in this regard: "'The players should be told that, while the ECB will be accommodating of the request to play in the IPL, a 12-month contract is exactly that, and the granting of a no-objection certificate to play in the IPL and other franchised competitions is contingent on it being in the best interests of the England team," he said. 

Atherton pointed out that from selections to strategies, England made so many errors in the ongoing Ashes 2021-22 for which the captain has to bear responsibility and things could’ve been much closer if Joe Root got things right on the field.  

He while lauding Joe Root as a good skipper and an incredible ambassador for the sport said that the right-hander has done the job for five years and ECB should now look for someone else to have a go. 

"There have been so many errors here, from selection to strategy, that the captain has to bear personal responsibility. This could have been a much closer series had Root got things right on the field. 

“Root has been a good England captain, and has always carried himself superbly and is an incredible ambassador for the sport, but having done the job for five years and having had three cracks at the Ashes, including two awful campaigns in Australia, it is time for someone else to have a go,” he said. 

Atherton suggested that Ben Stokes could be a viable alternative to lead England in the red-ball format as he’s done an excellent job as a stand-in skipper in summer.

"Ben Stokes is a viable alternative, having done an excellent job as a stand-in briefly in the summer. His bowling is starting to wind down, and, as he may not get into England's best T20 side now, he can be given a breather during those matches," he said. 

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Michael Atherton further said that ECB should relieve Chris Silverwood of his coaching duties. 

"At the moment there seems to be an absence of authority and an unwillingness to challenge the players. There is no way Silverwood will (or should) survive the Ashes, which should allow a reorganization of the coaching and selecting responsibilities,” he concluded. 

The fourth Test of Ashes 2021-22 will take place on 5th January at SCG. While the fifth and final Test match, a day-night affair, will take place on 14th January at Hobart. 

(PTI Inputs)