This is what the pundits feared would happen to the franchisees should they sign on the very talented but very accident prone Andrew Flintoff. Boycott believes Flintoff’s time may have just run out.
Andrew Flintoff has been on the injury list as long as he has been on the genuine all rounders list. That is why when the England players were put up for action, it raised eye brows that franchisees did not battle an eyelid knowing that not only would the England players be available only for three weeks but also, that the likes of Flintoff could suffer another injury breakdown.
The nightmare has become a reality sooner than expected. Flintoff will not be playing the fourth Test against the West Indies with the hip injury showing muscle strain. Given how desperate England’s situation has become since their tour to India, the ECB does not want to take chances and has even spoken of plausibly pulling Flintoff out of this year’s IPL in order to get him fit and raring for the Ashes in the summer.
David Collier, chief executive of the ECB spoke matter of factly, “There are medical clauses. The IPL are very responsible in that area and we have very, very strong relationships with Chennai. Andrew’s own team will also be looking at the injury prognosis... We would need to review it, obviously this has only just happened. But there are injury provisions in both sides of the contracts... We’d be concerned if any player was carrying an injury that may affect his participation in the Ashes series and we’ll look at that as we move forward.”
But Geoffrey Boycott believes Chennai Super Kings need not fear, not as much as England anyway. He wrote in his column, “Flintoff’s absences are familiar enough. We were lucky enough to see him at his peak in the 2005 Ashes, when he was 27 years old, but he has appeared in just 23 of 46 Tests since then.
“You also have to consider where Flintoff’s future lies. If his body will not cope with being dragged around the international schedule all year long, the IPL is the perfect competition for him. A salary packet of £1 million for six weeks of slogging and short bowling spells – it’s almost like stealing money. He will be understandably reluctant to stand his new employers up when he could be building a long-term relationship with them.
“My hunch is that he won’t be playing much five-day cricket once this summer’s Ashes are finished. He might even retire from Tests altogether.”
Hastening careers, IPL or otherwise?
Geoffery Boycott And ICC at Loggerheads
