Andy Flower warns his players of IPL pitfalls

LONDON - England team director Andy Flower Sunday warned his players about the perils of taking part in the Indian Premier League (IPL), saying the hectic scheduling of the cash-rich event poses a threat to the lifespan of the cricketers.

Flower, who played a crucial role in England’s Ashes triumph in Australia said he would not stop any player from competing in the IPL but maintained that players need adequate rest, especially in between playing Test cricket.

“I do not blame any of the players for wanting to go and play.

“But it is tricky because the schedules are so heavy. Rest is sometimes as important as the hard schedules we put them through, especially for our front-line attack. They have made themselves available for the IPL but it is dangerous in terms of the risk of injury and shortening their lifespan,” Flower was quoted as saying by The Guardian.

Flower took the example of fast bowler James Anderson and reiterated that any player after a five-match Test series would need substantial amount of rest.

“He (James) has just played five Tests in a row and that is a magnificent achievement in itself, so he has to rest now.”

“But if he has to rest during the IPL we will make that decision too. At the moment he is available for IPL but if it is necessary for him to rest, that will happen,” he said.

However, Anderson along with team mates Graeme Swann were not picked by the franchise at the IPL players’ auction for the fourth edtion.