IPL 13 will be good practice for Indian players ahead of Australia series: Ian Chappell
Sep 13, 2020
Melbourne [Australia], September 13 : Former Australia skipper Ian Chappell reckons that the upcoming edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) will be good practice for the Indian players ahead of the series against Australia.
The IPL 2020 is slated to be played in UAE from September 19-November 10 across three venues -- Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah.
After the IPL, India, and Australia are slated to face off against each other in a four-match Test series. Chappell gave the example of former England all-rounder Ravi Bopara as to how an IPL stint helped him in his Test career.
"One thing is certain, where there's a will, there's a way, and the better players are dedicated to finding a solution. In the case of the Indian players, and some of the Australians, they will at least have some challenging IPL cricket in the lead-up to the December series. While this may not seem like ideal preparation for a tough Test series in Australia, it's worth recalling the thoughts of former England batsman Ravi Bopara in 2009," ESPNCricinfo quoted Chappell as saying.
"After a stint in the IPL, Bopara was asked to return to England if this was appropriate preparation for a Test match. He responded by saying that looking to score at every opportunity gets your feet moving positively. He proved his point emphatically by scoring back-to-back centuries against West Indies," added the former Australian skipper.
Chappell also laid down the advantages of having intra-squad matches due to this coronavirus pandemic but added how these sorts of games are especially challenging for the pacers.
"The Indian players could well adopt this attitude for a series in Australia that will impact the Border-Gavaskar trophy, the World Test Championship, and their personal pride. It's unlikely India will have the luxury of lead-up matches against tough opposition. More likely it will be intra-squad games, which can be helpful if the selection is judicious and pits good bowlers against equally talented batsmen. The downside is the fast bowlers are often wary of injuring their own players," Chappell said.
The opening match of IPL 2020 will be played between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings on September 19 at Abu Dhabi.
The series between India and Australia will be a part of the World Test Championship (WTC). The Virat Kohli-led side is currently at the top of WTC standings while Australia is at the second spot.
