Former England captain Michael Atherton has said that a series of changes in the English cricket setup is needed, following the side's poor show against Australia in the ongoing Ashes Test series.
He went on to point out that England Cricket Board (ECb) should be keeping England's ‘best interests’ as its top priority, referring to their policy of granting no-objection certificates for the Indian Premier League (IPL).
“The leading multi-format players are paid seven-figure sums, but, incredibly, the ECB washes its hands of them for two months of the year during the Indian Premier League. The players should be told that, while the ECB will be accommodating of the request to play in the IPL, a 12-month contract is exactly that, and the granting of a no-objection certificate to play in the IPL and other franchised competitions is contingent on it being in the best interests of the England team,” Atherton wrote on his column.
IPL not the top priority
Atherton also urged that players “should not miss international duty” to play in the IPL.
“Players should not miss international duty to play in the IPL, nor be rested and rotated to allow them to play elsewhere. The carry-on during the winter, and at the start of the English summer, should not happen again,” said 53-year-old Atherton.
Atherton also said England head coach Chris Silverwood should be shown the door after the series, which Australia have already wrapped up with two matches yet to be played.
ENgland skipper Joe Root, who has not won any of his three Ashes series in charge, was not ready to discuss the long-term future of his captaincy after England lost by an innings and 14 runs in the third test in Melbourne.
“Bear personal responsibility”
"There have been so many errors here, from selection to strategy, that the captain has to bear personal responsibility ... This could have been a much closer series had Root got things right on the field.”
"Root has been a good England captain, and has always carried himself superbly and is an incredible ambassador for the sport, but having done the job for five years and having had three cracks at the Ashes, including two awful campaigns in Australia, it is time for someone else to have a go.”
The penultimate Ashes Test is scheduled to begin in Sydney on January 5.
