"Is IPL Bullying Other Boards?": Former India Cricketer After South African Players Skip Bangladesh Series For IPL

The club vs country debate has resurfaced once again after all the South African players with an Indian Premier League (IPL) contract decided to skip the upcoming two-match Test series against Bangladesh to feature in the cash-rich league. The likes of Kagiso Rabada, Aiden Markram, Rassie van der Dussen, among others will leave for India after the conclusion of the ongoing ODI series against Bangladesh to take part in IPL 2022, which begins on March 26, five days before the first South Africa-Bangladesh Test. This comes after South Africa's skipper Dean Elgar had called it a "loyalty test" for the IPL-bound players.

However, former India opener Aakash Chopra has defended the South African players and IPL, saying that this is how the international cricket market works.

"The question that stems from this is - Is club bigger than the country? The club versus country debate has caught a little fire again. The question is - Is IPL bullying the other boards?" Chopra said in a video uploaded on his YouTube channel.

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Chopra further added that the players should not be made to pick a side as they'll choose IPL over international duty, more often than not.

"Do not make players make this difficult choice. The club versus country conflict will keep continuing, there will be different opinions on it but the fact is the players will choose IPL ahead of bilateral commitments and the boards will not be able to stop it," he added.