Time to separate red ball and white ball squads?

The Rat

Striker
The news that players in the IPL are most likely to miss the NZ series too, raises the question for me.

You cant keep changing your team 4 or 5 times every match, that will catch up with you, and you won't win many matches.

This is not a unique situation going forward, despite vaccines etc, travelling overseas will take a while to fully get back to normal IMO, with new variants etc, so players can expect to be in bubbles when they play.

Also, the IPL is clearly now a priority for players, they aren't going to miss it (which I think is a disgrace in this year of all years), there is also another T20 world cup next year

They are also likely to rest players during the India series at home, before the world cup, this will happen next year too I'd imagine

If people like Buttler, Archer etc are going to miss potentially 4 or 5 test matches in a row, I'd rather they just stuck to white ball stuff and we fully reward our test match players so they aren't tempted to sway, like Foakes etc

England have managered the IPL well with their players, but this is the year its come to ahead, and the players have made their priority known. People will try spin it as "prepraration for the world cup", but its not, its money, and I guess you can't knock them for it

We need to do something IMO, because Root and the test team will be the one to suffer everytime, none of these multiformat players will ever choose a test match over an IPL deal, so we need to incentives the ones who dont get offers
 


I think the main problem this year is we have too many matches scheduled:

2x tests in Sri Lanka, 4x tests in India, 5x T20s and 3x ODIs in India, 2x Tests against NZ in England, 3x T20s and 3x ODIs against Sri Lanka in England, 3x T20s against Pakistan in England, 4x tests v India in England, 2x T20s in Pakistan, T20 World Cup, Ashes

That’s a ridiculous schedule really
 
You can't knock the players too much for taking the money, but they have to accept the consequences of it.

If an England player can't commit to being available 12 months a year to play for England, then the terms of their central contract should reflect that. I am not sure of the detail of current contracts, but no employer is going to pay you to work for someone else on their time, so why should the ECB?

One other option as you say, is to separate the squads. I think this could possibly see the ECB cutting off their nose a bit too much, but the if the contracts are negotiated so that remuneration is linked to availability then it could give the ECB a stronger hand with the players - i.e: If a player chooses to skip 4/5 tests then their contract reflects this in addition to losing appearance/performance related payments for this time period.

There may come a point though where the constant chopping and changing becomes too disruptive and they have to draw a line between who is a white ball cricketer and who is a test cricketer. I hope this day doesn't come.
 
I don’t think it’s a bad idea but what do you do with someone like Stokes who is irreplaceable in any format for England? Stokes missed 2 in Sri Lanka and could miss New Zealand
 
It’s a tough one to be honest. I don’t have any issue with players spending time at home, bubble life is hard and player welfare is important.

Missing the NZ tests to play IPL (not long after the last one) will feel like a piss take however. And I’m one that generally gets the IPL, it’s big money.

I guess the argument is “if you need downtime, why is money more important than test cricket?”
 
You can't knock the players too much for taking the money, but they have to accept the consequences of it.

If an England player can't commit to being available 12 months a year to play for England, then the terms of their central contract should reflect that. I am not sure of the detail of current contracts, but no employer is going to pay you to work for someone else on their time, so why should the ECB?

One other option as you say, is to separate the squads. I think this could possibly see the ECB cutting off their nose a bit too much, but the if the contracts are negotiated so that remuneration is linked to availability then it could give the ECB a stronger hand with the players - i.e: If a player chooses to skip 4/5 tests then their contract reflects this in addition to losing appearance/performance related payments for this time period.

There may come a point though where the constant chopping and changing becomes too disruptive and they have to draw a line between who is a white ball cricketer and who is a test cricketer. I hope this day doesn't come.

Its difficult knowing what devalues test cricket the most. Knowing you have superior players choosing the ODI route permanently or having players effectively pick and choose taking time out from test cricket and missing matches. I realise Covid and a ridiculous schedule this year has added to the problem but its going to happen more in the future.
 
Its difficult knowing what devalues test cricket the most. Knowing you have superior players choosing the ODI route permanently or having players effectively pick and choose taking time out from test cricket and missing matches. I realise Covid and a ridiculous schedule this year has added to the problem but its going to happen more in the future.

I agree and unfortunately both devalue test cricket equally IMO and we will see more occurrences of this. It is up to the governing bodies as custodians of the game to find a solution that protects test cricket whilst also ensuring some flexibility is maintained. Unfortunately, I feel that most, if not all governing bodies are blinded by the riches of T20 and we'll see test cricket fall further down the priority list.
 
His record is poor
@Jack Torrance is it his average of 19 top score of 47 we miss or his 16 wickets at 38
Wasn't that bad when getting MVP at the IPL
I think the main problem this year is we have too many matches scheduled:

2x tests in Sri Lanka, 4x tests in India, 5x T20s and 3x ODIs in India, 2x Tests against NZ in England, 3x T20s and 3x ODIs against Sri Lanka in England, 3x T20s against Pakistan in England, 4x tests v India in England, 2x T20s in Pakistan, T20 World Cup, Ashes

That’s a ridiculous schedule really
This really. Then add on top of that the very challenging situation around travelling to other countries, bubbling, isolating before and after games, and it becomes impossible for any player to play it all. We have to make sacrifices in some places and prioritise somethings. There isn't a right answer really - what's more important a World Cup or an Ashes? Impossible to answer as they're both massive.
 
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Wasn't that bad when getting MVP at the IPL

This really. Then add on top of that the very challenging situation around travelling to other countries, bubbling, isolating before and after games, and it becomes impossible for any player to play it all. We have to make sacrifices in some places and prioritise somethings. There isn't a right answer really - what's more important a World Cup or an Ashes? Impossible to answer as they're both massive.
That's nice I'm talking about England
 
Of course. But that’s half our problem - we don’t take it serious at all at international level until a few months before the tournament. Makes the T20s against India in particular all the more important
I just think he's in on reputation in other formats and other players with the same record wouldn't of had as many games, we all know he's capable and playing in India helps.
 
It’s a tough one to be honest. I don’t have any issue with players spending time at home, bubble life is hard and player welfare is important.

Missing the NZ tests to play IPL (not long after the last one) will feel like a piss take however. And I’m one that generally gets the IPL, it’s big money.

I guess the argument is “if you need downtime, why is money more important than test cricket?”

fair point

I think missing the NZ series too seems like a step too far for a lot of fans who are understanding

everyone accepts it’s no easy, but it seems like the players just want best of both
Wasn't that bad when getting MVP at the IPL

This really. Then add on top of that the very challenging situation around travelling to other countries, bubbling, isolating before and after games, and it becomes impossible for any player to play it all. We have to make sacrifices in some places and prioritise somethings. There isn't a right answer really - what's more important a World Cup or an Ashes? Impossible to answer as they're both massive.

the ashes is without doubt More important

it transcends the sport anc people who aren’t really into cricket are interested in the ashes

that’s even true with the World Cup win we had
 
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fair point

I think missing the NZ series too seems like a step too far for a lot of fans who are understanding

everyone accepts it’s no easy, but it seems like the players just want best of both


the ashes is without doubt More important

it transcends the sport anc people who aren’t really into cricket are interested in the ashes

that’s even true with the World Cup win we had
In your opinion. I personally value our World Cup win more than our home ashes wins, for instance, under cook and Strauss. I think the 50 over world cups a bit higher prestige than the world T20, but still. Would you trade our 2019 World Cup win to have won last time down under?
 

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