After leaving IPL 2024 early, Jos Buttler says there shouldn't be any international cricket during IPL season

Jos Buttler flew back home before Rajasthan Royals’ final two league games and playoffs of the IPL 2024.

Jos Buttler, England’s white-ball captain and Rajasthan Royals (RR) opener, has spoken out against the recent controversy surrounding the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) decision to withdraw players from the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2024 playoffs to prioritize international commitments.

While defending the ECB’s decision, Buttler insisted that international cricket matches should not clash with the IPL, the world’s premier franchise league. As England prepare for the ICC T20 World Cup 2024, Buttler reiterated that his ultimate goal is to represent his country.

This decision to recall England players before the Pakistan T20Is was Jos Buttler’s idea and it led to several IPL teams missing crucial players for the knockout stages of the tournament. RR will miss Jos Buttler’s services, while RCB will miss Will Jacks and Reece Topley. KKR missed Phil Salt but managed to qualify for the final on May 21.

The English batsman concluded the season with 359 runs and the top score of an unbeaten 107 for the Royals, with an average of over 40 and a strike rate of 140.  

‘Look, as an England captain, my main priority is to be playing for England’- Jos Buttler

Buttler emphasized the importance of joining the England cricket squad ahead of the ICC T20 World Cup in 2024. England will host Pakistan in a four-match T20I series before the mega tournament, for which the ECB has made it necessary for its players to return home after the ongoing IPL 2024.

Buttler emphasized that the timetables must allow players to fully commit to international obligations without interfering with the IPL. He is one of eight members of England’s preliminary T20 World Cup squad that departed the IPL 2024 before the group stage ended last week.

Jos Buttler was quoted as saying by ESPNCricinfo: “I said, ‘Look, as an England captain, my main priority is to be playing for England’. It’s my personal opinion that there shouldn’t be any international cricket that clashes with the IPL. I think that these games have been in the calendar for a long time. Of course, leading into a World Cup, your No. 1 priority is playing for England and performing for England. I feel like this is the best preparation.”

Notably, the itinerary for England’s T20I series against Pakistan was published in July 2023, and the series has been part of the ICC’s Future Tours Programme since August 2022. In contrast, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced the full schedule of IPL 2024 fixtures only after the season had begun.

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