LEEDS, England white-ball captain Jos Buttler on Tuesday defended the ECB for pulling its players out of the IPL for national duty against Pakistan and said international cricket should not clash with the world's biggest T2 league. .
Buttler's absence will be felt by Rajasthan Royals when they face Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL Eliminator on Wednesday.
Other England players who missed the playoff were Will Jacks, Reece Topley and Phil Salt.
England will take on Pakistan in the first of four T20 matches here on Wednesday.
"I said, 'Look, as captain of England, my main priority is to play for England,' Buttler told reporters here on Tuesday.
"It is my personal opinion that there should be no international cricket with the IPL. I think these games have been in the calendar for a long time. Of course, before the World Cup, your No. 1 priority is to play for England and for England. While performing I think this is the best preparation."
England players returned home even before the completion of the league stage on Sunday.
Sam Curran, who represented Punjab Kings in the IPL, said that the ECB's decision matters a lot.
"It was a decision that was made, that perhaps it was the right thing for all of you to come back. It was fair for all the franchises to lose one player each... It would have been quite harsh if some of the franchises had the chance to keep Some players did and then some didn't,” ESPNcricinfo quoted the all-rounder, whose IPL team failed to qualify for the playoffs, as saying.
Buttler's absence will be felt by Rajasthan Royals when they face Royal Challengers Bangalore in the IPL Eliminator on Wednesday.
Other England players who missed the playoff were Will Jacks, Reece Topley and Phil Salt.
England will take on Pakistan in the first of four T20 matches here on Wednesday.
"I said, 'Look, as captain of England, my main priority is to play for England,' Buttler told reporters here on Tuesday.
"It is my personal opinion that there should be no international cricket with the IPL. I think these games have been in the calendar for a long time. Of course, before the World Cup, your No. 1 priority is to play for England and for England. While performing I think this is the best preparation."
England players returned home even before the completion of the league stage on Sunday.
Sam Curran, who represented Punjab Kings in the IPL, said that the ECB's decision matters a lot.
"It was a decision that was made, that perhaps it was the right thing for all of you to come back. It was fair for all the franchises to lose one player each... It would have been quite harsh if some of the franchises had the chance to keep Some players did and then some didn't,” ESPNcricinfo quoted the all-rounder, whose IPL team failed to qualify for the playoffs, as saying.
