England's rotation policy seems to have worked quite well: Sangakkara

Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], February 19 (ANI): Rajasthan Royals (RR) Director of Cricket, Kumar Sangakkara feels England's rotation policy has worked out quite well for the team in recent years.
With the cricketing action getting resumed amid the pandemic in a bio-secure bubble, players opt-out from the tour due to exhaustion and hence many cricket boards have started to follow a rotation policy.
England, however, was following the policy even before the coronavirus pandemic and Sangakkara feels the rotation policy opted by England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) has done well in forming a bench strength.
Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler and Jofra Archer are an integral part of both IPL franchise Rajasthan Royals and England's Test squad.
Sangakkara also opined that players need to strike a fine balance between international duties and franchise cricket.
"Yeah, I think it (rotating players) has become a necessity with the growth of IPL and of course what IPL itself tells in terms of participation and the financial returns. So a lot of thought has gone through every cricket board on the way they kind of construct their program around this," said Sangakkara.
"England, irrespective of IPL have put in the rest and rotation policy and that seems to have worked quite well for them at times or most times. Of course, international duties and franchise duties have to be balanced out but it is difficult to strike an ideal balance for everyone," he further said.
"Some boards are looking at the areas where they keep their core players playing international cricket for much longer in terms of allowing the opportunity to players to play franchise cricket, like in the IPL, which then allows them to play for much longer period of time in terms of an international career for their country," Sangakkara added.
Earlier this week, England head coach Chris Silverwood said cricketers do need to spend some time with their families, and as a result, his side would continue with their rotation policy.
England's squad was named for the third and fourth Test after the result of the second Test, and it was revealed that Moeen Ali will head back home. This is all a part of ECB's rotation policy.
This rotation policy has already seen Jos Buttler going back home after the first Test. Jonny Bairstow also missed the first two Tests against India as per the rotation policy.
However, former England cricketers like Sir Ian Botham, Kevin Pietersen and Michael Vaughan have criticised this rotation policy employed by the Three Lions.
"It is very difficult to say to the players that no you cannot play the IPL. You cannot say no if you just see the numbers. IPL is a marquee cricket event in the world and so it's very difficult. I don't think it is an issue because players are playing a fantastic high level of T20 cricket, which can only benefit us really. Moving forward it benefits the player. Obviously, players make their own minds up about competitions they go in but we benefit from their playing," said Silverwood during a virtual press conference.
When asked whether he would be affected if the likes of Ben Stokes and Jos Buttler are not available for the New Zealand Tests due to IPL, he replied: "I am totally at peace with it. Just to reiterate Test cricket remains the priority at least to me. It gives an opportunity to people. It's exciting for me to see people make debuts, see people do well. As I said, I see the exciting side about it." (ANI)

Raj Kantak

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