The Indian Premier League may have brought players from different countries closer but that has no effect when they play against each other in international cricket, said India Test vice-captain Ajinkya Rahane ahead of the four-match series against England.
According to Rahane, top Indian cricketers may share a dressing room with the likes of Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler and Jofra Archer but they don’t share their strategies, keeping international cricket in mind.
“See, we definitely play in the IPL, but Test cricket and IPL are completely different. We do know how their bowlers bowl here, but length (that one bowls) is completely different in Test cricket from what they are in white-ball (formats),” Rahane said.
After having played a lot of cricket with Buttler, Stokes and Archer for Rajasthan Royals, Rahane said that it is a different ballgame altogether when one represents the country.
“What we do in IPL, it’s not like we tell them all the things and I think that is very important. Yes, we have played a lot of cricket together, but when you represent the country, it is all about how best you can give individually and as a team,” said the Indian Test vice-captain.
Admitting that Archer and Stokes are England’s key players, Rahane added that one can’t ignore the balance that the opposition team possesses as a whole.
“Ben Stokes and (Jofra) Archer, they are really good players. They did really well for England, so it is not about any individual. I think it is all about a team, England team, they are a very balanced outfit which did really well recently against Sri Lanka,” Rahane said.
“So for us, what is important is that we plan against all their guys and just play as a team here and back our strengths,” he added.
India and England are set to battle it out in the first Test match that begins on Friday at MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai.
