(Cricket News) Just one day before the retention deadline, England batter Joe Root, who had made his IPL debut for the Rajasthan Royals earlier this year, decided not to play in the Twenty24 Indian Premier League.
The Royals, through a statement on their website, expressed their “respect” for Root’s decision, saying that even in such a short time, he was able to create such a positive impact on the franchise and the players around him. His energy around the group and the experience he brought to the Royals will be missed. We respect his decision totally and wish him success in everything he does.”
While Root played three games for the Royals, he batted in just one, scoring ten against Royal Challengers Bangalore in Jaipur. Despite the limited opportunities, Root tried to be a “sponge” in India to “soak up a lot of different information” and adapt to the T20 format. Rob Key, England’s managing director of men’s cricket, had stated after announcing the squad for the Caribbean tour that Root “needs a break” at the end of the World Cup.
The deadline for franchises to announce their releases and retentions ahead of the December 19 auction is November 26. After Test captain Ben Stokes, Root is the second English player to withdraw from the upcoming IPL season. The Royals have already been active in the trade window, bringing in India fast bowler Avesh Khan from Lucknow Super Giants while letting go of Devdutt Padikkal to Super Giants.
