Is it fair for Indian cricketers to prioritise IPL over international tours?

CSK and RCB captains MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli, who have been rested for the Zimbabwe tour

Since its inception, the Indian Premier League has brought with it probing questions that many fans don’t want to be answered. Fresh, seething allegations are made every year against players of all calibre, and the ones against notable players are shot down while the ones against less popular players are met with serious consequences.

A fan is just a spectator to the projection of entertaining cricket, oblivious to the dirty, underbelly of the IPL, because who really cares how much is scripted and pre-meditated in a match that promises loads of sixes, entertainment and drama?

The players make truckloads of money, the teams make truckloads of money and the BCCI makes truckloads of money. With a win-win for fans, players and BCCI, it’s no surprise the BCCI reserves two months of the Indian cricket calendar for the IPL each year.

Yet there’s a line that should be drawn at some point, and a question that needs to be asked, to the fans and especially the players – what are they playing cricket for?

Money vs. National Duty

The Indian cricket team had a long cricket season with a taxing Australian tour followed by the World Cup. Most players deserve a short break after such tours, yet all of them chose to play the IPL which usually begins a week or two after the World Cup. They chose to play the IPL despite the long, stressful cricket season; apart from the monetary gains they had no real incentive to play in the IPL.

The purpose of such leagues should be viewed as good practice by the regular squad players, and a platform to shine for the ones vying for selection spots. Maybe it’s just me, but I don’t see how a domestic cricket league can be given more importance in a sport where international competition is still the prime attraction (unlike football). If players needed a rest, they should’ve taken one during the IPL and not for the upcoming Zimbabwe tour?

Having already lost an ODI series to Bangladesh, what would we accomplish if the Indian cricket team loses to Zimbabwe as well, since most first-choice players have chosen to be rested having played continuous cricket before it – in which two months were solely dedicated to a league that doesn’t really influence international cricket. It’s just a bulbous carnival that comes every year.

Analysing Priorities

Priorities, in this scenario, are important. Josh Hazelwood chose to skip the IPL to focus on his Ashes preparations. Eoin Morgan once opted out to play English county cricket instead to make a statement for the England Test team and Kevin Pietersen did the same this year. These players know their priorities – the national team is always on top. Most international players leave the IPL when it’s time for national duty, taking home experience, confidence and room for relaxation before their next assignment.

It’s making a choice between wanting to watch Virat Kohli bat for a club against average bowling attacks in a league, or in a Test or ODI match against an international team in foreign conditions. Would he grow more as a player in these domestic matches on home grounds or international matches on foreign soil? They don’t have to necessarily quit playing the IPL, but every player should know his endurance threshold, and attempt to work around it.

This is, after all, the law of the jungle where the strong survive.