England’s IPL, franchise cricket experience promises tough challenge for India

Ahmedabad, March 10 : England may have lost the Test series badly, unable to put up any resistance, but the T20 International side that will take the field here at the Narendra Modi Stadium from Friday in the five-match series will likely give India a tough fight.
Besides being packed with white-ball cricket specialists, the 16-member T20I squad comprises 13 players who have experience in the Indian Premier League with the likes of Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler, Jofra Archer, Jonny Bairstow and Eoin Morgan being the match-winners in their respective sides.
England are among the toughest sides in white-ball cricket primarily because they have some big-hitters that are in huge demand in the T20 franchise leagues, especially IPL.
In many ways, they have surpassed the Australians and South Africans for giving hard-hitters and X-factor players for the IPL sides.
It came as no surprise that many top English players were retained by their respective IPL franchises ahead of this season and even among those released, Moeen Ali was bought for as big a sum as Rs 7 crore.
All-rounder Sam Curran, who represent Chennai Super Kings had admitted that IPL in 2020 in UAE helped him become a better player.