England players should have played in just one of IPL 2020 & 2021 to prioritize Test cricket: Nasser Hussain

Nasser Hussain feels the decision by England players to participate in both the IPL 2020 and 2021 seasons within six months has weakened the country's Test team. The former captain said this has forced the management to look into programs like the controversial rotation policy, thus cramping their red-ball resources.

Writing in his column for the Daily Mail, Nasser Hussain remarked that it was the responsibility of multi-contracted players to put their hands up and prioritize Test cricket over one of the two IPL seasons.

"...England admitted they had asked Moeen Ali to stay on after the second Test. Players can take ownership of these big decisions. That includes the IPL. I understand why players want to play in it. It is so hard in what can be a short career to turn down a lucrative IPL deal. And I also understand why they would want to play in both IPLs in a six-month period this year.

"But the multi-contracted players could have said: 'Hold on, the ECB are very good in saying we can do the IPL, I'll just do one of them. This is a unique year and I'm going to put Tests first.' Most, if not all, have decided to do both IPLs, and the consequence is that Ashley Giles and the selectors have to play them in all cricket and risk burnout or rotate them, and that weakens the Test side, as we've just seen," said Nasser Hussain.

🚨 BCCI announces schedule for VIVO IPL 2021 🚨The season will kickstart on 9th April in Chennai and the final will take place on May 30th at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad.More details here - https://t.co/yKxJujGGcD #VIVOIPL pic.twitter.com/qfaKS6prAJ

— IndianPremierLeague (@IPL) March 7, 2021

England lost the 4-match Test series 3-1. Key players like Jos Buttler, Moeen Ali and Jonny Bairstow missed different games and their backups weren't up to the mark. However, they will all feature in both the upcoming white-ball leg of the tour and the IPL 2021 in April-May.

"Put this defeat in perspective" - Nasser Hussain

Nasser Hussain

Writing further, Nasser Hussain called for putting the humbling series defeat in the right perspective considering the arduous challenge posed by India's "world-class" spinners.

"We still have to put this defeat in perspective. Against a formidable India team and two world-class spinners, Ashwin and Axar Patel, in their own conditions, this series is about as tough as it gets for a slightly inexperienced batting line-up," said Nasser Hussain.

The 5-match T20I series will kick off on March 12 in Ahmedabad.