The English all-rounder, Chris Woakes has withdrawn from the upcoming IPL season in order to stay fresh ahead of England’s home Test summer. Woakes, who was bought by Delhi Capitals (DC) for 150 lakh (£160,000) during the auction, has not played a T20 since August 2018, and last played a T20I for England in November 2015.
The reports of ESPNcricinfo suggests that the all-rounder has communicated to the franchise that he is pulling out due to family reasons. No further details could be ascertained. Describing the head coach of the franchise Ricky Ponting had singled him out as a player who “could go for big money” ahead of the auction, but Delhi was the only team to register a bid for him.
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Chris doesn’t have a formidable record in the previous seasons of the IPL. In 2017, he took 17 wickets for Kolkata Knight Riders with an economy rate of 8.77, but in 2018 played only five matches for Royal Challengers Bangalore, and conceded 10.36 runs per over. He has been a regular member of England’s Test squads this winter.
England will be playing six Test matches during the upcoming home summer, starting with a series against West Indies which begins on June 4. The three players in the squad to play Sri Lanka who also have IPL deals – Ben Stokes, Sam Curran, and Jos Buttler – will join their franchises days before the IPL commences, and will have only a few days off after it before joining back the England squad ahead of the first Test against West Indies.
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Despite having Ponting’s backing, Woakes was not guaranteed to make Delhi’s playing XI. He was one of eight overseas players in the squad alongside Jason Roy, Marcus Stoinis, Alex Carey, Keemo Paul, Sandeep Lamichhane, Kagiso Rabada, and Shimron Hetmyer, with only four permitted in one match.
It is unclear whether Rabada will be fit for the start of the tournament after he was ruled out of South Africa’s ODI series against Australia and India with a groin injury.
