South Africa reverse track, delay WTC final preparations to allow stars to play in IPL until June 3: Report

Cricket South Africa are set for a massive u-turn in terms of their planning for the World Test Championship final, with the board set to allow players involved in the IPL to remain in the tournament through to its revised conclusion on June 3. Tristan Stubbs and Ryan Rickelton are key players for their respective IPL franchises, and part of South Africa's squad for the upcoming World Test Championship final.(ANI)

CSA had originally provided a deadline of May 26 for the Test team to assemble in preparation for next month’s final against Australia at Lord’s, but the delayed finish to the IPL in the wake of its suspension has led to a change of plans, as per a report in the Sydney Morning Herald.

CSA’s director of national teams Enoch Nkwe spoke to the press about South Africa’s plans, first announcing the intentions of prioritising an extended preparatory window for the WTC: “One thing we’ve made clear, and we are finalising it with the IPL and the BCCI, is that we are sticking to our original plan when it comes to WTC preparations with May 26 being the latest for the Test guys to come back.”

However, Nkwe provided a correction on his statement a few hours later, informing reporters that the deadline for the Test squad had been pushed back by a week.

“Correction – the squad will resume training for the game on June 3rd,” said Nkwe. “The matter is being discussed higher up than me. At ground level, we are focusing on preps for the WTC final.”

Eight WTC-bound South African stars currently in IPL

Nkwe’s statement seems to indicate that discussions between higher-ups in CSA and the BCCI led to this consensus being reached. Reportedly, this will also have an impact on South Africa’s planned informal warm-up game against Zimbabwe, which was set to be played in the English town of Arundel beginning on June 3.

Players such as Tristan Stubbs, Kagiso Rabada, Marco Jansen, and Ryan Rickelton are playing high-profile roles at their respective IPL franchises, but are also key players in South Africa’s hopes of lifting the WTC final trophy at Lord’s. A total of eight members of South Africa’s final squad are contracted in the IPL.

Cricket Australia, meanwhile, look set to stick to their guns regarding recalling their five IPL players early, with a focus on going back-to-back in the WTC. There have been suggestions that the BCCI was able to hold the ownership of SA20 teams by IPL franchises as a reason for the South African stars committing to seeing out this edition of the tournament.

The IPL is set to resume on May 17, while the WTC final begins on June 11 at Lord’s.

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