Cricket

The Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 playoffs commenced on Tuesday with Qualifier 1 between Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) and SunRisers Hyderabad. However, KKR faced a setback with the absence of their explosive opener Phil Salt, who hails from England.Salt's absence is not an isolated case. Other teams like Rajasthan Royals, Royal Challengers Bengaluru, and Punjab Kings are also missing key England players in the playoff stage. The reason behind this exodus is the departure of English players to join the national side ahead of the 2024 T20 World Cup.The decision has drawn criticism from former Indian cricketers Sunil Gavaskar and Irfan Pathan. However, former England captain Michael Vaughan has defended the move."If you are going back to represent your country, which England players have done, I think that's fair enough. They are playing a series against Pakistan. The England players wouldn't have gone back if it wasn't for the Pakistan series," Vaughan said on Cricbuzz.Vaughan emphasized the importance of the Pakistan series for England's preparation for the 50-over World Cup. He believes that the five-match series will provide the team with an opportunity to build chemistry and work on their roles.Punjab Kings' all-rounder Liam Livingstone has also returned to England for knee rehabilitation ahead of the T20 World Cup. Other England players who have left the IPL include Jos Buttler (Rajasthan Royals), Will Jacks, and Reece Topley (Royal Challengers Bengaluru).The departures of these players have left a void in their respective IPL teams. KKR, in particular, will miss Salt's aggressive batting at the top of the order. Rajasthan Royals will be without their captain and star batsman Buttler, while Royal Challengers Bengaluru will be deprived of the services of Jacks and Topley.Despite the absence of these England players, the IPL playoffs promise to be an exciting affair. The remaining teams will be eager to seize the opportunity and secure a berth in the final.

Punjab Kings Coach Bangar Addresses Challenges Amidst England Players' DeparturePunjab Kings coach Sanjay Bangar has expressed his disappointment over the unexpected departure of key England players for international duty during the crucial phase of IPL 2024. In a press conference after their final league match, Bangar revealed that the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had initially assured the availability of their players for the entire IPL season, but changes in the tournament's schedule disrupted these plans."The ECB had made it clear that all the players will be available. It is just that it so happens that the tournament got slightly extended, I would say, because of multiple reasons. Everybody was in a similar position but we lost those English players," Bangar stated after Sunday's game.The departure of England players, including Jos Buttler, Jonny Bairstow, Will Jacks, Phil Salt, Liam Livingstone, and Sam Curran, has significantly impacted several teams as these players left for the T20I series against Pakistan starting on May 22. For Punjab Kings, this meant losing their captain, Sam Curran, among others, just before crucial matches.With Curran's departure, Jitesh Sharma stepped up as captain for the first time on Sunday. Despite posting a strong total of 214 after electing to bat first, Punjab Kings were defeated by Sunrisers Hyderabad, marking a disappointing end to their campaign.Bangar highlighted that the absence of key international players was a significant setback but not the sole reason for their underwhelming season. "For us, even losing Livingstone with a niggle around his knee, the ECB pulling him out. Even KG (Kagiso Rabada) had an infection and he had to go back (to South Africa). Those things coupled together meant that when we came to the last two matches, we were short of players of international pedigree and experience. That hurt us but that is not the sole reason why our season was below par," he explained.The departure of these international stars has left a noticeable gap in several teams, impacting their performance at the crucial juncture of the tournament. Punjab Kings, like many others, have had to navigate these challenges while striving to maintain competitive form.