England players in IPL 2021: How many English cricketers will be available for IPL 2021 Phase 2?

England players in IPL 2021: A total of 14 English players were part of original squads for Indian Premier League 2021.

Be it the schedule of England’s international summer or the availability of their players for the remainder of Indian Premier League 2021, every passing say bring a new development with respect to both the key areas.

It is worth mentioning that a total of 14 English cricketers were part of IPL 2021 before the tournament was postponed after players and support staff from multiple franchises tested positive for COVID-19 earlier this month.

ALSO READ: Ashley Giles denies altering schedule of England-India Tests to accommodate IPL 2021

Former England spinner and ECB Director of Cricket for men’s team Ashley Giles, who had hinted against the possibility of centrally contracted English players playing in the second phase of IPL 2021, has once again voiced a practical opinion keeping the best interests of English cricket in mind.

England players in IPL 2021 Phase 2

Speaking to the reporters, Giles revealed that ECB will rest some of their players after a five-match Test series against India. It is worth mentioning that England are scheduled to play white-ball cricket in Bangladesh and Pakistan before the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup 2021.

Having said that, Giles made it a point to repeat his words on the lines of what he had said before with respect to not exhaust the English players before the world event and Ashes 2021-22.

“We are going to have to give some of these guys a break at some point. But the intention of giving guys a break for, say, Bangladesh, wouldn’t be for them to go and play cricket elsewhere.

“We have to manage our schedule now, so we get our guys arriving in the best shape possible for the T20 World Cup and the Ashes,” Giles said.

Barring Sam Billings and Liam Livingstone, all the other 12 players are ECB centrally contracted players. Assuming that IPL 2021 will go ahead without English players, Rajasthan Royals (Jos Buttler, Ben Stokes and Jofra Archer), Chennai Super Kings (Sam Curran and Moeen Ali) and Kolkata Knight Riders (Eoin Morgan – captain) will be the most affected franchises.