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Dean Elgar hopes South African players choose Test series over IPL
Follow UsKagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Marco Jansen, and Anrich Nortje all have IPL contracts and the tournament will clash with Test series against Bangladesh
Cricket South Africa (CSA) have already given an indication that the players are free to opt for IPL when the national side host Bangladesh for a Test and ODI series during the first half of April. If the players choose to leave for India, it would leave the national team in a severely depleted state and would be a huge blow to their ambition of making fast strides in the World Test Championship.
Among the Test bowlers, Kagiso Rabada, Lungi Ngidi, Marco Jansen and Anrich Nortje have IPL contracts and the tournament, which will run from March 26 to May 29, will clash with Tests set to be played at St George's Park and Kingsmead from March 30 to April 12. Test skipper Dean Elgar hopes that he has his major players at his disposal but added that it would also be a great opportunity for him to see where the players' loyalties lie.
"Just this morning I got off a call with the respective personnel at CSA to try and give us a guideline as to whether the players will be available or not. The outcome of that meeting is that the players need to give CSA an indication whether they're keen to go to the IPL or if they're keen to play for the Test side," Elgar told an online press conference on Friday.
"It's a tough one leaving that up to the players, but this is how we'll see where their loyalty lies. They mustn't forget that Test and one-day cricket got them into the IPL, not the other way around.
"That's all I can give you now. I wish I had more, just for my own personal sanity. So I can prepare, knowing that most of my bowlers are potentially not going to be there if they choose to go the IPL route. Hopefully by next week that will be clearer for us."
St George's Park and Kingsmead have traditionally been slower surfaces in South Africa as compared to other venues, and on those two wickets, Sri Lanka became the first Asian team to win a Test series in South Africa. It will encourage Bangladesh's style of play, hence, Elgar wishes to have his full-strength side in order to have a crack at the Asian nation.
"The venues are more suited for the opposition; I think that brings them into the game. I can't take the field without my best side, in order to give ourselves the best chance. I need my best players. You don't want players to miss out on a big occasion like the IPL, by no means. But I'd still like to think playing for your country is bigger than that."