Root "sacrifices" opportunity to enter IPL mega auction

The wait to see the 31-year-old feature in lucrative league increased further as he has decided to prioritise the English Test team, which just succumbed to an embarrassing 0-4 Ashes defeat

January 17, 2022 12:19 pm | Updated 12:19 pm IST - Hobart

England's Joe Root waves while fielding against Australia during their Ashes cricket test match in Hobart, Australia, January 15, 2022.

England's Joe Root waves while fielding against Australia during their Ashes cricket test match in Hobart, Australia, January 15, 2022.

England skipper Joe Root has "sacrificed" the opportunity to enter the IPL mega auction to "throw" all his energy into reviving the fortunes of his under-fire Test team.

Considered one of the modern greats of the game, Root is yet to play in the Indian Premier League after going unsold in the 2018 auction.

Last week, Root said he was considering entering the mega auction but added he would look to play in the tournament only if it does not distract him from his Test career.

However, the wait to see the 31-year-old feature in lucrative league increased further as he has decided to prioritise the English Test team, which just succumbed to an embarrassing 0-4 Ashes defeat .

"There's a lot that we need to do for this team, which deserves all of my energy," Root said at the post-match conference after his side's 146-run loss to Australia in the fifth Test on January 16.

"I'll keep sacrificing as much as I can because I care so much about Test cricket in our country and trying to get us to where we want to be," added the star batter, confirming he has turned down the chance to enter the auction.

England's below par performance in Test cricket this past year has led to questions on his leadership but Root has expressed his desire to continue as the English red ball captain.

"It's very difficult when you get beaten as heavily as we have done on this tour to convince people I'm the right man.

"But I can tell you one thing for sure — as long as I have the opportunity to captain this team, I will throw everything into it and give everything — for everyone supporting us, for the guys around me, for the players — to try and provide an environment that allows us to be successful," Root said.

The IPL has expanded to 10 teams starting this year and the mega-auction ahead of the upcoming season is scheduled to be held on February 12 and 13 in Bengaluru.

0 / 0
Sign in to unlock member-only benefits!
  • Access 10 free stories every month
  • Save stories to read later
  • Access to comment on every story
  • Sign-up/manage your newsletter subscriptions with a single click
  • Get notified by email for early access to discounts & offers on our products
Sign in

Comments

Comments have to be in English, and in full sentences. They cannot be abusive or personal. Please abide by our community guidelines for posting your comments.

We have migrated to a new commenting platform. If you are already a registered user of The Hindu and logged in, you may continue to engage with our articles. If you do not have an account please register and login to post comments. Users can access their older comments by logging into their accounts on Vuukle.