South Africa Test skipper Dean Elgar will try to convince his teammates to choose national duty over IPL

Cricket South Africa (CSA) has stated they will let their players decide whether to play in IPL 2022 or make themselves available for national duty when there is a clash of schedules. Test skipper Dean Elgar has revealed that he will try to persuade his teammates to play in the home series against Bangladesh.

The 15th season of the IPL will overlap with Bangladesh's tour of South Africa, consisting of two Tests and three ODIs. While the lucrative league starts on March 26, the series between Bangladesh and South Africa will go on from March 18 to April 12.

Elgar believes the players must take a clear stance on whether they want to play in the IPL or be available for their national team. The Proteas Test skipper reminded his teammates that it was their performances in international cricket that earned them the IPL deals.

Elgar, in an interview with ESPNCricinfo, stated:

"The players need to give Cricket South Africa an indication of if they are keen to go to the IPL or if they are keen to play for the Test side. It's a bit of a tough one putting that in the players' box but, this I guess, this is where you see where players' loyalty lies. They musn't forget that Test cricket or one-day cricket got them into the IPL and not the other way around."

11 South African cricketers have contracts for IPL 2022. Six of them are Test regulars while three others are in the ODI squad. The bowlers include Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, and Marco Jansen. The batters having IPL commitments are Aiden Markram, Quinton de Kock, Rassie van der Dussen, Dwaine Pretorious, and David Miller.

"I owe it to our group to give them the best chance to make a decision" - South Africa captain Elgar

South Africa Test captain Dean Elgar has a touch job at hand (Image Credits: Getty)

Elgar further added that he would take the responsibility for convincing them to fulfill their national duties as every player is crucial to their chances. The 34-year old says it's an interesting job for him.

"I can just make them aware of their position within our set-up. They all play a big role. It's up to me to go up to each individual and point out to them that they musn't forget where they've come from as players and where we've come from as a group."

He went on to add:

The next few days might be busy and interesting for me. I owe it to our group to give them the best chance to make a decision."

South Africa have had a prosperous last two months of Test cricket, winning a series against India at home and drawing in New Zealand. Hence, they remain firm favorites against Bangladesh.