ECB to ask English players to return from IPL early for T20 World Cup preparations - Reports 

England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) will reportedly ask its players to return from the Indian Premier League (IPL) prior to the playoffs in order to focus on the preparations for the 2024 T20 World Cup. The ICC event is slated to take place in the Caribbean and the USA in the month of June, shortly after the IPL season.

The Jos Buttler-led side endured a horrid campaign in the subcontinent in an attempt to defend their ODI World Cup title. England finished seventh in the points table, barely managing to qualify for the 2025 Champions Trophy.

The ECB wishes to avoid a similar debacle and have its players shift their focus on defending their T20 World Cup title. England are scheduled to play a five-match T20I series against Pakistan between May 22 to May 30. While the official IPL 2024 schedule is yet to be released, the playoff stages and the final generally takes place in the latter half of May.

ECB ideally wants its players back in time to compete in the build-up to the tournament, rather than name second-string squads for such assignments. England only played a handful of ODIs against New Zealand and Ireland as part of their preparations for the 2023 ODI World Cup.

A slew of English players currently play in the IPL, including skipper Jos Buttler. Some of the other major stars include Harry Brook, Jofra Archer, Sam Curran, Ben Stokes, and Moeen Ali.

However, Archer is still on his road to recovery after a setback in rehabilitation, while Stokes is expected to miss the IPL 2024. The ace all-rounder will reportedly undergo surgery on his knee, to be fit in time for the five-match Test series against India in early 2024.

England's preparation for the 2024 T20 World Cup will commence with a five-match away T20I series against the West Indies, beginning on December 13.

IPL 2024 mini-auction scheduled to take place on December 19 in Dubai

The IPL auction will take place overseas for the very first time, with the 2024 mini-auction slated to take place in Dubai on December 19. The franchises will have a timeframe to name their list of retained and released players. There will also be an increase in the purse amount for the sides.

Chennai Super Kings (CSK) are the defending IPL champions, after defeating the Gujarat Titans (GT) in the IPL 2023 final.

Will the English players leave midway through IPL 2024? Let us know what you think.