The Australians are known to be fierce about their sport. But even at the height of the intensity of cricket between India and Australia, Australian cricketers asserted - nothing could scale the Ashes. Now Warne is suggesting otherwise.
Shane Warne has described the IPL last year as the best bit of cricket in his twenty year cricket career that began with a domestic stint with Victoria in 1987-’88. Such has been the impact on the legendary Australian leg spinner that he is demanding the respective cricket boards to sit with the ICC and chalk up plans to ensure that no other international cricket is scheduled in the two months when the IPL gets underway.
Warne, who is also the captain and coach of the Rajasthan Royals, has stated that only the Ashes of 2005 “came near the intensity” but nothing has quite matched the euphoria of the IPL. It is not only a great endorsement for Lalit Modi and the BCCI but also, coming from a player of his stature, it is likely to influence a few people.
But Ricky Ponting is determined that the Australian cricketers should be focussing on playing for Australia, not the IPL. He states, “There has been a lot made about that [the IPL]. We can’t afford to be going into the Ashes with eight Cricket Australia (contracted) players out injured The important thing for me is prioritising that and making sure we have all the players that are taking part in those big Test series as fit and ready to go for thoseI think we need to worry about the international programme before we worry about the IPL.”
And after the manner in which Cricket Australia dealt with Matthew Hayden and his injury, few Australians would want to be risking their pay check as well.
Is Lalit Modi listening? It’s time for him to up the ante on the IPL window on the ICC if he wants to keep raking in the stars and the moolah!
Pic Above; Ricky Ponting with Shane Watson on the Indian tour. Shane Watson is now injured and out, depriving the Australians of his services as stellar as they were for Warne’s Rajasthan Royals team.
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