England all-rounder Sam Curran has been watching the Indian Premier League action from his home. A stress injury has ruled the 23-year-old out for this season, and he rues the opportunity of not participating this time around.
Curran is familiar with the highs and lows as well as the glitz and glam of IPL. He had been an important member of the Chennai Super Kings side over the last couple of seasons, in which they went from not qualifying to the playoffs in 2020 to winning their fourth title in 2021.
However, a stress fracture on his lower back during the second leg of IPL 2021 in the UAE in October ended Curran’s tournament on a premature note. The same injury ruled him out of the 2021 T20 World Cup and the Ashes series in Australia.
Although the youngster was expected to make a comeback in IPL 2022, the England and Wales Cricket Board medical staff advised him against registering his name in the mega auction to prevent an increased workload. As a result, Curran is gutted to miss the IPL this time around and admitted that it’s frustrating watching it from home. However, he also accepted that the decision to not enter the auction was the right one, given his rehabilitation and the timing of the tournament.
“I’m gutted not to be there. It’s a frustration watching from home. I wanted to go [into the auction] but I didn’t at the end – which was probably the best decision. Looking back, (the) IPL probably came a little bit too soon,”
Curran told ESPNcricinfo.
He further added that he could have participated in IPL 2022 but didn’t want to risk another injury.
“I could have probably rolled the dice and said ‘let’s go’. I’m back bowling in the nets now, so if you work it out, I could probably have been bowling out there,”
“I definitely want to go back [to the IPL] at some stage because you learn so much about your T20 game there: it’s a tournament where you live and breathe cricket,”
he said.
