It was not all that long ago that the Indian Premier League and English cricket could be found at loggerheads. These days, with the ECB eyeing private investment in the Hundred not too far down the line, the relationship has a more flirtatious tint.
Over the next two months, though, England’s selfish need is for the competition to deliver immediate returns, namely in providing a vehicle for several of its white-ball stars to find form and put a miserable winter behind them ahead of this summer’s T20 World Cup defence.
The unusual timing of that tournament, which starts in the USA and Caribbean in early June, means there is no domestic white-ball cricket on offer on home shores before England meet Pakistan in a four-match series in late May that marks the only warm-up to their transatlantic trip.
As such, while much of England’s T20 squad is settled, head coach Matthew Mott and captain Jos Buttler will rely heavily on the winter and spring’s franchise form when selecting their final group for a tournament that, if going anything like as badly as the 50-over equivalent last year, will surely spell the end of their respective reigns.
Despite the scarcity of opportunity, a host of top English names are missing. Ben Stokes, Mark Wood and Joe Root (not in the T20 side in any case) have opted out over workload concerns, while the ECB put the block on Jofra Archer’s hopes of featuring as they look to manage his rehabilitation. Gus Atkinson has pulled out after a long first touring winter at senior level, though he did not play on the India Test tour, while Harry Brook is staying at home following the death of his grandmother.
Of those who have endured twin stints in India already this winter, Jonny Bairstow is the only returnee, keen to make up for lost time having missed last year’s IPL while sidelined with a broken leg.
He heads a strong English contingent at Punjab Kings, where Chris Woakes is joined by Liam Livingstone and Sam Curran, the all-rounders whom England would love to see catch alight. Both are fighting for their places in the T20 XI following prolonged lulls but, when on form, are essential to balancing the side. Curran, lest it be forgot, was player of the tournament at the last T20 World Cup and landed a record IPL deal off its back.
Buttler himself looked as jaded as anyone by the 50-over implosion before Christmas, but enjoyed a decent stint at South Africa’s SA20 at the start of this year and heads to India following a rare six-week break. His partnership at the top of the Rajasthan Royals order with Yashasvi Jaiswal will again be one to watch.
Will Jacks and Phil Salt made strong cases to feature in England’s top-three during the tour of the West Indies last year. The former makes a belated IPL debut for Royal Challengers Bangalore after withdrawing injured last year, while Salt has nabbed a gig at Kolkata Knight Riders.
Moeen Ali (Chennai Super Kings) and Reece Topley (RCB) are the other senior England players involved, with Tom Curran (RCB), the in-form Tom Kohler-Cadmore (RR) and Luke Wood (Mumbai Indians) unlikely to be first-choice. David Willey has pulled out of the start of the tournament for personal reasons, having been due to play for Lucknow Super Giants.
