Proteas speedster Kagiso Rabada in IPL action.
BREAKING: Proteas stars pick IPL over Test duty!
It’s been confirmed that the Proteas will be without a host of star players for the two-Test series against Bangladesh due to IPL duty.
Proteas speedster Kagiso Rabada in IPL action.
A two-Test series against Bangladesh starts on 31 March, while the Indian Premier League (IPL) starts on 26 March, with several Proteas players set to be involved in the money-making T20 event.
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The IPL, world cricket’s most valuable tournament, returns home from 26 March, but its league phase will be restricted to two cities due to the coronavirus pandemic, reports have suggested recently.
Mumbai and Pune will host the 15th edition of the lucrative Twenty20 tournament that began in India last year but midway moved out to the United Arab Emirates.
Following on from the Proteas’ 1-1 draw against New Zealand in the most recent Test battle, Elgar said conversations over player availability for the Bangladesh series were taking place, with the likes of Rassie van der Dussen, Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen and Lungi Ngidi all set for IPL action.
It’s now been confirmed by selection convenor Victor Mpitsang that all of those players will not be available for the two Tests against Bangladesh.
Zubayr Hamza is also not available due to “personal reasons”, with Khaya Zondo called up to the Test squad.
Recently, Proteas Test captain Dean Elgar said there would be a real test of ‘loyalty’ when the series against Bangladesh clashes with the IPL.
“The outcome of that meeting was that the players need to give Cricket South Africa an indication of their keenness to go to the IPL or if they want to play for the Test side,” Elgar said.
“It’s a tough one putting that in the player’s box, but I guess this is where you see where the loyalty of the players lie.
“They mustn’t forget that it is Test and ODI cricket that catapulted them into the IPL spotlight, not the other way round.
“That’s all that I could prepare knowing that most of my bowlers are potentially not going to be there for the Bangladesh series if they choose the IPL route.
“Hopefully, things will be clearer by next week.”
READ | IPL AUCTION: STUPID MONEY PAID FOR SOME VERY AVERAGE PLAYERS
The 11 South Africans who will be in IPL action are:
Kagiso Rabada: $1.233 million (R18.75 million)
Faf du Plessis: $933 000 (R14.2 million)
Quinton de Kock: $900 000 (R13.7 million)
Anrich Nortje: $866 000 (R13.2 million)*
Marco Jansen: $560 000 (R8.5 million)
David Miller: $400 000 (R6.1 million)
Dewald Brevis: $400 000 (R6.1 million)
Aiden Markram: $346 000 (R5.3 million)
Rassie van der Dussen: $133 000 (R2 million)
Dewaine Pretorius: $66 000 (R1 million)
Lungi Ngidi: $66 000 (R1 million)
Calculated at current exchange rate of $1/R15.21
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Notable South Africa players who went under the hammer but failed to sell, included:
Imran Tahir
Tabraiz Shamsi
Janneman Malan
Rilee Rossouw
Heinrich Klaasen
Duan Jansen
Gerald Coetzee
The remainder of the South Africans below didn’t go under the hammer.
