England must keep players out of IPL to improve the Test side: Mickey Arthur

Former Sri Lanka coach Mickey Arthur believes England players should withdraw from the Indian Premier League (IPL) to enhance their Test side.

England’s Test squad came under fire after being humiliated 4-0 in the five-Test Ashes series in Australia. Following the Ashes’ defeat, head coach Chris Silverwood, batting coach Graham Thorpe, and managing director Ashley Giles all resigned.

Arthur, who took over as head coach of English county Derbyshire after leaving Sri Lanka late last year, believes county cricket is not to blame for England’s dismal test record in recent years. “England has failed to score enough runs. That’s all there is to it “Arthur told The Times. “You can place the blame right there. The fault does not lie with county cricket.

“For a long time, county cricket has been a great source of international talent. I don’t believe there is an issue with the system… Unfortunately, if you want early-season strength, you’ll have to ban players from traveling to the IPL. “They play there early in the season, just before the first tests”. To prepare for it, you’ll need your finest players playing county cricket.”

With their early exit from the 2015 World Cup, England has reinvented itself as one of the biggest names in one-day cricket since winning the big title at home in the next edition. They have struggled to win longer formats of the game in recent years, with the final Ashes test in Australia marking the 15th consecutive test without a victory.