Mahela Jaywardene and Kumar Sangakarra

One of the main reasons, for sri lanka losing the series came down to their two best batsman, not firing, and sangkarra only did once.

Now i like ipl, but test cricket is the best its the pinnacle of the game, and the fact that their two best batsman, chose to stay in the ipl ahead of coming to england to get used to english conditions, shows the lack of commtiment to the cause. Now we won the series cos we were the better team (england), but if mahela and sanga actually bothered to get used to the conditions, it would have been closer.

Are we going to see more players go down this route? of choosing ipl over country ahead of a big tour?

Thankfully not many England players have went down this route the likes of Broad and Swann playing for there counties instead. The problem with playing in the IPL is that your not going to regain or continue form in a Twenty-20 tournament. It's the players loss if they go off to the IPL,country should come first imo.

To be honest the IPL is really starting to get on my nerves now. Whilst being an undoubtedly good earner for players in a sport where the top performers get paid a considerable amount less than their counterparts in other sports, it has too many negative effects on the pinnacle of the game, test cricket, and starts tempting players away from the form of cricket that they made their name in in the first place.

As Liam says, thankfully England haven't had much of a problem with this, and our lot seem to have their priorities right, but for players of the calibre of Sanga and Jaya to choose a pointless pyjama tournament over a big test series against one of, if not the, best test side in the world (especially when they both had points to prove about their ability in English conditions) is nothing less than a disgrace.

You rightly point out that if they had spent that time becoming more accustomed to the conditions then they may well have had more success, and who knows, that test in Cardiff may have been a draw - therefore giving Sri Lanka a series draw and share of the spoils. So whilst it is the players loss in terms of form and respect they're likely to get from the supporters, it is also their country's loss in that their star players may not be in perfect shape to do well for their country.

Good article, and it is very clear that players need to start remembering that it was test cricket that got them their status to begin with, and they shoudln't abandon that or their country for a few extra quid. By all means play in the IPL when you have retired (a la Adam Gilchrist), but do not waste your prime years as a test cricketer by putting the IPL above test preparation.

Greed wins out 99% of the time

The difference with England is that the senior test players stand to earn a decent living from tehir county and England contracts plus assicated sponsorship, appearances , future careers etc.
For many nations that isnt so much the case. The money available in the IPL is way way biger than what their boards can offer them to stay away.

Theres no question that players know the IPL can affect their international cricket, the question is is "commitment to the cause" enough to convince them to prioritise international cricket?
I doubt it. IPL games are bigger, better payed, ,more watched, and a lot less effort than a test match.

Its just something we have to deal with. Funny how the rise of the IPL has coincided with Englands rise up the test standings.

Flip side of the prepartion thing though ...dont our players all moan and get depressed if they have to do long tours? Wasnt the Austrlaia tour the excuse fror being rubbish at the world cup? Seems you cant win sometimes, do a short tour youre underprepared...do a long one youre overstressed and full of boohoo.

IPL has nothing to do with England's rise up the rankings. Let me give you 5 reasons why England have risen up the rankings:

1) James Anderson
2) Andy Flower
3) Ali Cook
4) Jonathan Trott
5) Ian Bell

The form/impact of those 5 has been incredible, and IPL or not, not much would have stood in their way in recent times.

Fists of Fury wrote:
Good article, and it is very clear that players need to start remembering that it was test cricket that got them their status to begin with,

Was it?
Jayasauria got his status from winning the world cup, not being in a consitently mediocre test side. Both are fine test players but Id argue they are more famous across the world for their limited over exploits, and far more people globally watch and care about the IPL than they do test cricket ...as sad as that is.
Yes theres still a degree of snobbery in cricket pundits and a deep love of test cricket in England that we only truely consider players legends if they make it in tests, but Im not so sure thats the case elsewhere...certainly not the sub continent.


The comment about Englands rise wasnt entirely serious, no question they have some good players. Although you have to admit the competition in test cricket isnt waht it once was, especially in the superstar bowling stakes. Malinga and Tait the most effective genuine fast bowlers in world cricket dont even play tests. Swann wouldnt be the best spinner in the world if Warne and Murali had stuck at it instead of getting fat an old in the IPL (OK Warne probably would have been past it by now). Theres only really Steyn whos playing tests thats a genuinly great bowler now.
This is a sidetrack issue though.

Swann was ranked higher than Murali during Murali's final year of test cricket, so yes he was still the best spinner in the world.

I wasn't referring to everyone with regard to it being test cricket that made them, but surely nobody can argue that Sanga and Jaya didn't get their fame from test cricket (think back to some of their huge partnerships, and massive individual scores). Test cricket is still the ultimate yardstick by which to judge a player, and that is why the game will remember greats like those two, and not good T20 players like lets say Kieron Pollard.

James Anderson (since maturing in the last couple of years) is a genuinely great bowler, and I'm willing to argue the toss with anyone that disagrees with that one.

There is a reason why Malinga and Tait no longer play test cricket. Whilst they've had their share of injuries, the reality is that they aren't very succesful test bowlers. They are so much more effective in ODI's where their stray balls have much more field protection, and where players are forced to look for scoring shots off their straight balls/yorkers. In tests this isn't the case, and a high quality batsman will look pretty secure against them most of the time.

whats dissaponting is, it would have been a much closer, exicting series had, these two been on form

I'm not too sure to be honest mate. It'd have been closer in terms of first innings deficits but the rain spoilt it too much to have had any real bearing on the overall result. Like I said above, it may have meant a series draw though.

but what im saying as well is, it would have been good to see the bowlers truely tested with these two on form and firing, cos the india batsman will be quality, sehwag, gamibhr and sachin rested or injured at the moment and our bowlers will have a real test on their hands

Blaming IPL on Sangakkara and Mahela's poor form is laughable.

SL batsmen are only successful in Asia.

When do they ever play outside Asia? Once in a blue moon.

Unless they're only facing half volleys outside Asia, they're inept.

Little bit harsh, those two being mentioned are world class operators, and with the right preparation have the technique to succeed in any conditions.

i see there is another wum on here then

Fists of Fury wrote:Little bit harsh, those two being mentioned are world class operators, and with the right preparation have the technique to succeed in any conditions.

India are flat track bullied, yet Mahela and Sangakkara aren't?

Make your mind up pal

cricketfan90 wrote:i see there is another wum on here then

No wumming here.

I'm pointing out facts.

Sangakkara has 25 Test hundreds, how many outside Asia and Zim? Only 5

Mahela has 28 Test hundreds, how many outside Asia and Zim? Only 6

Hardly a high percentage

Sanga has never scored a hundred in England before even when IPL didnt exist.

To link everything with IPL these days smacks of insecurity and jealousy.

ECricket wrote:Sanga has never scored a hundred in England before even when IPL didnt exist.

To link everything with IPL these days smacks of insecurity and jealousy.

Someone with commonsense.

So that is roughly 1/5th of centuries outside Asia for both of them. How many tests have they played outside Asia? If it is also around 1/5th (or even a quarter) the stats are hardly shocking...

Mike Selig wrote:So that is roughly 1/5th of centuries outside Asia for both of them. How many tests have they played outside Asia? If it is also around 1/5th (or even a quarter) the stats are hardly shocking...

Spot on. Hardly Jaya/Sanga fault that SL rarely gets to tour to outside Asia. They havent played in SA for 9 yrs which is inexplicable really.