England head coach Chris Silverwood is keen to make sure players avoid burning out during a congested schedule within the constraints of bio-secure bubbles.
England have played 18 games, across three formats, in 71 days this summer.
Nine England players have now flown to the Indian Premier League, while the England and Wales Cricket Board is in discussions about winter tours against South Africa, Sri Lanka and India.
Silverwood says he has encouraged his players to be wary of burnout.
“It’s their decision really [to go and play in the IPL]. Obviously, the contracts are good for them but equally we are looking forward to the T20 World Cup [that is scheduled to take place in October 2021]. The more high-class T20 they can play will be a good thing for us,” he said.
“The one thing I have encouraged is that they keep talking to us and we need to make sure they don’t burn out so we’ll have to keep an eye on them.”
Fast bowler Jofra Archer has spent 86 days in the bio-bubble, more than any other player, and Silverwood says the 25-year-old found it difficult.
“He’s not the only player, there’s been quite a few,” said Silverwood, who stepped up from assistant coach after last summer’s Ashes.
“It’s a juggling act of keeping people fresh in the mind, getting them out the bubble when we can.
“That’s something we’ve done, when people have asked to get out we’ve got them out. It’s a case of making sure we don’t burn people out.”
After Wednesday’s series defeat against Australia, England white-ball captain Eoin Morgan said that, if bio-secure settings had to happen next summer, England would “look at guys spending more time outside of it or families being allowed to come in”.
England’s winter schedule is unknown with a white-ball tour of India in October cancelled, their next fixtures could be a white-ball series against South Africa in November and December.
They then look to set to play two Tests in Sri Lanka in January, in a tour that was cancelled in March because of the coronavirus pandemic, before a Test series against India, which is likely to be played in the United Arab Emirates, the host country for the IPL.
Silverwood said he was “hopeful” the tours could go ahead and that “we’re learning every day of how we deal with Covid and hopefully if we continue to do that we’ll play”.
Article courtesy of BBC Sport
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