The Ashes in one of the oldest rivalries in the sporting world. With tournaments like IPL and BBL allowing England cricketers to share the same dressing room alongside Australian players, many opine that the fierceness involved in the famed rivalry is declining.
However, Eoin Morgan has asserted that the new found friendships between players belonging to different nationalities cannot seep into the international game. Speaking to cricket.com.au, England’s ODI and T20I skipper shared his thoughts on the evolving nature of the sport.
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Morgan affirmed, “This rivalry has shaped up over a century of intense cricket, since the start of the game, in fact. It has always been there. So it isn’t a case of it building up or coming down, it is there regardless of what kind of cycle the teams are in or how international cricket is shaping up.“
The 29-year old added, “It is a rivalry where previous success doesn’t matter. Whether you are playing in the Ashes or playing against Australia in a World Cup, the stakes are always high.”
On the burgeoning number of English cricketers in the IPL and BBL, Morgan attributed it to the shift in ECB’s policy. He enthused, “ With the passage of time, I think we will see more and more English cricketers play in the IPL. This year, in particular, there have been huge moves to get more players involved in this tournament, and not just here, you can also see the same in the BBL.“
The left-hander also implored his board to come up with a similar franchise-based Twenty20 tournament. Morgan quipped, “I am also hopeful that we will have our own franchise-based T20 competition sooner rather than later. And maybe we can replicate something like the IPL or BBL back in England. “
The Dublin-born cricketer was also pragmatic regarding the governing policy of permitting only four overseas players in an IPL XI. He revealed, “The further I have played here it has been about playing under the pressure of being an overseas player.”
Explaining his views on team selection, Morgan noted, “You are only one of four allowed in the eleven, and sometimes you are chosen ahead of some other players, so that experience has been something else. It keeps you grounded as well as makes you appreciate opportunities whenever you get them.”
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