Englishmen received the highest number of bids in the IPL auction. 8 English players were picked by various franchises and were in high demand. Sam Curran became the most expensive player in the history of IPL picked by Punjab Kings for Rs 18.5 crore. Superstar Stokes was involved in a tight tussle and Chennai Super Kings eventually got Ben Stokes for Rs 16.25 crore.
England cricketers, who were far behind in the shortest format a few years back are now at the forefront in big T20 leagues around the world. Let us look at some of the reasons why English players are in high demand:
White ball Supremacy
After humiliation in the 2015 World Cup, Morgan built a fearless team that could play attacking cricket from ball one. They revolutionized the way white ball cricket is played. They focused on pyrotechnics and on hitting big shots. England heavily relied on Data Analytics and emphasized matchups. This led to the revolution in English Cricket and the results were quite evident.
Big Match Players
The current generation of English Players can soak in the pressure better than most other teams. In the recently concluded T20 World Cup, Sam Curran was named the player of the tournament while Ben Stokes was the man of the match in the finals. Players like Jos Butler, and Jofra Archer have also delivered for the team when it matters the most.
Availability
England players are available for the whole season of IPL despite the Ashes in June. Hence the franchises do not have to look at the alternatives and can plan the whole season accordingly.
Adaptable
England players are highly adaptable and can fit anywhere in the lineup. They are versatile and offer you more than one skill. Liam Livingstone can bowl leg spin as well as off spin and can play anywhere in the batting lineup, Adil Rashid is a wizard with the ball as well as handy with the bat. Joe Root can chip in with an over or two. Players like Sam Curran and Ben Stokes are any captain’s dream. Due to this versatility, English players are highly in demand.
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