England stars ruled out of rescheduled IPL: "We're going to have to look after our players"

Director of men's cricket Ashley Giles says the international calendar will take priority during the rest of 2021

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England's Indian Premier League players will not be released to play in the remainder of the 2021 tournament when it is finally rescheduled.

Director of men's cricket Ashley Giles has confirmed the international calendar will take precedent.

The BCCI are currently looking at windows to host the tournament amid the hectic schedule, with late September prior to the T20 World Cup a possibility.

India has been ruled out from hosting the final 31 matches and while the United Arab Emirates is under consideration as a possible venue, Sri Lanka and a cluster of English counties are interested.

Eoin Morgan's side are due to warm-up for the World Cup against Bangladesh and Pakistan and Giles will not allow preparations to be compromised by the IPL.

"We're planning on the involvement of England players in England matches," Giles told a media briefing. "We've got a full FTP schedule. So if those tours to Pakistan and Bangladesh [in September and October] are going ahead, I'd expect the players to be there.

"The New Zealand scenario was very different. Those Test matches were formalised at the end of January, by which time all those contracts and NOCs were signed for full involvement in the IPL.

"None of us knows what a rearranged IPL looks like at the moment; where it's going to be or when. But from when we start this summer against New Zealand, our programme is incredibly busy.

"We've got a lot of important, high-profile cricket including the T20 World Cup and the Ashes. And we're going to have to look after our players."

Fourteen England players had contracts with IPL franchises for the 14th edition of the tournament. They included Rajasthan Royals trio Jofra Archer, who withdrew through injury, Ben Stokes who suffered a broken finger and left the competition and Liam Livingstone who opted to fly home for personal reasons prior to the competition being postponed.

Royals would also lose the services Jos Buttler. Kolkata Knight Riders would be without Morgan, while Chennai Super Kings could expect to lose both Sam Curran and Moeen Ali.

Tom Curran, Sam Billings and Chris Woakes had deals with Delhi Capitals, Chris Jordan and Dawid Malan were with the newly-named Punjab Kings while opening batters Jonny Bairstow and Jason Roy were with Sunrisers Hyderabad.

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