Former India spinner Harbhajan Singh has said that big events matter and not the Indian Premier League. Australia defeated India by 209 runs in the World Test Championship Final at the Kennington Oval in London.
Speaking to Star Sports, Harbhajan said that BCCI will have to decide what is more important to them and get their priorities right. The 2023 season of the IPL ended just days before the 2023 WTC Final.
“Well, you have to set the priorities right. What is more important? As a player, what do you want to achieve. Also, as the management and the BCCI, what is more important?,” said Harbhajan.
Harbhajan suggested that Indian players should be allowed to leave the IPL early to prepare for events like the WTC Final. Indian players like Shubman Gill and Virat Kohli were the star-performers in IPL 2023 but failed to replicate their form for India in the ICC event. Gill was the top-scorer of IPL 2023, hitting 890 runs in 17 matches, but managed just 13 and 18 in the WTC Final.
“IPL is a great cricket tournament for everyone. At the same time, if you are keeping an eye on the prize, which is a higher prize than the IPL, then you must give those players rest and let them prepare for this sort of a game. Let them come out of the IPL window and be prepared for such events, like Australia did. They have to come up with the solution and identify what is more important,” Harbhajan added.
He went on to say that representing India is bigger than playing in the IPL, stressing that events like the WTC Final come in every two to four years. India last won an ICC trophy ten years ago when they lifted the Champions Trophy under the leadership of MS Dhoni in 2013.
