Key Points:
- South Africa’s pace bowler Dale Steyn tweeted a controversial comment about the Indian Premier League (IPL). Steyn has skipped the upcoming IPL and has continued playing the ongoing Pakistan Premier League and Sri Lanka Premier League.
- “I think when you go to the IPL, there are such big squads and so many big names and so much emphasis on maybe the amount of money players earn and everything like that, so sometimes, somewhere down the line, cricket gets forgotten,” Steyn had said.
- “…I am not sure what Dale Steyn has said, I am here to talk about this Test match,” Rahane said defending the IPL.
- “My apologies if this has upset anyone. Much lov,” Steyn added clarifying his statement.
South Africa’s pace bowler Dale Steyn tweeted a controversial comment about the Indian Premier League (IPL). Steyn has skipped the upcoming IPL and has continued playing the ongoing Pakistan Premier League and Sri Lanka Premier League.
Steyn said that the importance sometimes is more on the money that a player goes for in auction in the IPL and somewhere ‘cricket gets forgotten’.
“I think when you go to the IPL, there are such big squads and so many big names and so much emphasis on maybe the amount of money players earn and everything like that, so sometimes, somewhere down the line, cricket gets forgotten,” Steyn had said.
“When you come to like a PSL or the Sri Lankan Premier League, for that matter, there is an importance on the cricket. I have only been here for a couple of days and I have had people in and out of my room, just wanting to know about where I have played and how I went about it.
“Whereas, when I go to something like the IPL that gets forgotten and the main topic is how much money did you go for in this IPL? That’s just me being brutally honest. I wanted to stay away from that and really put more emphasis on playing and bringing good vibes to good cricket teams and tournaments I feel are worth it,” Steyn added.
Defending the Indian Premier League, India’s Test Cricket Vice Captain Ajinkya Rahane during a virtual press conference said, “See, I am here to talk about the fourth Test match and not here to talk about PSL or Sri Lanka Premier League. IPL gave us that platform to express ourselves and also to a lot of Indians players. I am not sure what Dale Steyn has said, I am here to talk about this Test match.”
After listening to Rahane, Steyn clarified that he did not mean to insult or compare IPL to any other leagues and that his career in IPL has been amazing. “IPL has been nothing short of amazing in my career, as well as other players too. My words were never intended to be degrading, insulting, or comparing of any leagues. Social media and words out of context can often do that,” Steyn tweeted.
IPL has been nothing short of amazing in my career, as well as other players too.
My words were never intended to be degrading, insulting, or comparing of any leagues.
Social media and words out of context can often do that.My apologies if this has upset anyone.
Much love— Dale Steyn (@DaleSteyn62) March 3, 2021
“My apologies if this has upset anyone. Much lov,” he added.
