England all-rounder Chris Woakes says lacking out on the “financially lucrative” IPL subsequent yr was not straightforward however he needed to do it to make the Test squad for the 2023 Ashes at residence.
Woakes might not have made 1,000,000 greenback bid, however he will likely be in demand on the IPL auctions to be held in Kochi later this week.
Woakes, who missed the home Test season as a result of damage, will as an alternative play for Warwickshire within the County Championship.
“It was not an easy decision by any means. There is still a part of me that wishes I could go because the IPL is a great tournament and financially it can be very rewarding – but I am not making the decision solely on finances. wanted to.
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premium“It’s a tough state of affairs: simply having received the World Cup, the potential inventory may very well be excessive. There are actually a number of different gamers who’ve the potential to make it massive however I may very well be additional down the checklist behind them.
“I interacted with lots of people and likewise with a number of franchisees who appeared eager, making it troublesome to exit. But having not performed any cricket within the English summer time final yr, it is a good alternative for me to set myself up for a extremely robust summer time with England.
The 33-year-old has performed for KKR, RCB and most lately for Delhi Capitals within the IPL. Woakes mentioned an sincere dialog with ECB managing director Rob Key had additionally contributed to his determination.
Woakes, who was a part of England’s victorious T20 World Cup squad, mentioned: “He was very clear that I was still part of the Test plans, but obviously I needed to get myself fit and heal my knee. ”
With inputs from TheIndianEXPRESS
