English cricketer Joe Root has opted out of the Indian Premier League (IPL) after the previous season. Rajasthan Royals, as mentioned on their website, confirmed this decision. Root bid farewell on the final day to maintaining his status as a cricketer, a move acknowledged by the Rajasthan franchise.
Kumar Sangakkara, the cricket director for Rajasthan, stated, “During discussions about retaining players, Joe (Root) has informed us about his decision not to play in the upcoming IPL. In a very short time, Joe has had a significant impact on the franchise and the players around him. We will miss the experience he brought to the team. We respect his decision.”
Rajasthan had acquired Root for ₹1 crore in the 2023 IPL auction, marking his debut season in the IPL. Throughout the season, he had only played three matches, batting in just one. In that match against Bangalore, Root scored 10 runs.
His primary goal was to acclimatize to the conditions in India ahead of the World Cup, which didn’t turn out as successful as he hoped. In the World Cup, Root struggled, scoring 276 runs in 9 innings with an average of 30.66, a disappointment for the English batsman who typically performs better for his national team, batting at number three.
It’s possible that the additional pressures of the game led Root to opt out of the IPL. Even after the World Cup, Root was absent from the England squad for the One Day International tour to West Indies. At the time of the announcement of the squad, England’s management, led by Rob, mentioned that Root needed rest.
Prior to this, England’s Test captain Ben Stokes had also withdrawn himself from the IPL starting from the next season. He used to play for Chennai Super Kings. Stokes had played just two matches for Chennai due to an injury in the previous season.
The Test series between India and England, comprising 5 matches, will begin in Hyderabad on January 25th. It might be through this Test series that these two English cricketers can return to the field.
