World Cup-bound pacers should not be rested in IPL: Nehra
Former India fast bowler Ashish Nehra has laid out his thought on the talks regarding resting of World Cup-bound pacers during the Indian Premier League 2019 season. The ICC World Cup 2019 is set to be held in England and Wales post the IPL. Nehra feels that the pacers in contention for featuring in the Indian team shouldn't be rested.
Key information about the IPL and the World Cup
The IPL 12 is set to begin from March 23 onwards. Keeping the World Cup in mind, England and Australia cricket boards informed that their players won't be available from May 1. There will be a likely suitable gap between the IPL and the World Cup. The World Cup in England and Wales will kick-off from May 30 onwards.
'I think it is a wrong thought-process'
In an interview to the Mumbai Mirror, the former Indian pacer revealed that the whole though-process of resting pacers in the IPL is wrong. "I think it is a wrong thought-process to rest the World Cup-bound fast bowlers during the IPL. No matter how much training you do, you need match practice. If a bowler himself feels he needs rest, then that's different."
You can get injured in practice too, says Nehra
Nehra highlighted that there will be enough gap between the IPL and the World Cup which could see bowlers recover from any sort of niggles. "You can get injured in practice too, or even in the first match of the World Cup. We will have a couple of weeks between the IPL and the World Cup, which is sufficient to recover from niggles."
Kohli had suggested resting pacers during IPL 12
In 2018, Indian captain Virat Kohli had suggested that he would like to see World Cup-bound pacers to skip IPL 12. Reports stated that the skipper had presented this view to the CoA, but he didn't find many backers. Also the IPL franchises would have never agreed upon the same logic. India vice-captain Rohit Sharma too had differed with Kohli on this matter.
What was Rohit's reply to Kohli's suggestion?
"When Kohli mooted the idea, CoA chief Vinod Rai asked Rohit about his take. Rohit apparently said, 'If Mumbai Indians reach Play Offs or finals and if Bumrah happens to be fit, then I cannot afford to rest him'," said an official as per reports.
