Best players should represent their country – Rahul Dravid – Cricket News Update
Despite admitting that IPL has been a major breakthrough event, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/CH-Gayle-c1221 and Kevin Pietersen must be available to represent their country as it remains the only way to promote the pinnacle format of cricket.
Having retired from the game earlier this year, the Indian batting legend was quite disheartened by the ongoing spat between http://www.senore.com/Cricket/England-c749 Cricket Board, which has taken much of spot light, despite Lord’s currently playing host to the deciding
Test between England and http://www.senore.com/Cricket/South-Africa-c757.
So it came hardly as a surprise when he was questioned about the preferences of modern day players, when it comes to representing their nation or playing in a lucrative tournament such as the IPL. Having made a name for himself by donning the whites of
his country, Dravid knows that the longer version is hit hard by changing times and the riches of the IPL.
That has already resulted in two of the world’s best players - Chris Gayle and KP - putting at risk their commitments with the national team. The former recently returned to play for the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 after a lay-off of over 12 months, during which he did
plenty of freelancing across the globe, while the latter’s insistence on playing a full IPL season saw him getting involved in a heated argument with the board, resulting in a stale mate.
According to Dravid, such situations will only damage Test cricket and the only way out is for player to play all formats. How this is possible however, is open for thought.
"I am not sure what the solution to it is exactly but I would love to be in a situation where the best players can play the IPL as well as represent their country in Test cricket. People like Chris Gayle and Kevin Pietersen are fantastic for Test cricket
as they are for IPL and T20 cricket.
“The best players should represent their country - it is not only about the people who come to the ground. It is also for the young boys and girls who passionately follow their country in Test cricket. It is hard and disappointing when the best players don't
turn up to play for their country," Dravid said.
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