Trevor Bayliss: “I haven’t changed my opinion – I wouldn’t play T20 international cricket”
Image courtesy of: Zimbio
England head coach Trevor Bayliss believes that Twenty20 cricket shouldn’t be part of the international schedule and should only be played domestically.
Bayliss, however, said that a Twenty20 World Cup can be played every four years.
“I haven’t changed my opinion – I wouldn’t play T20 international cricket,” Bayliss told Sky Sports. “If you want to play a World Cup every four years or so then maybe get the international teams to play six months before but I’d just let the franchises play.”
He added that with more and more cricket being played, it is likely that teams will start hiring Twenty20 coaches.
“I think [separate T20 coaches] is definitely the way it’s heading if we continue to put in so many games. There will be a blow out with coaches,” he said.
The 55-year-old also feels that players will start focusing more on limited overs cricket, especially with the rise of ODI and T20 tri-series.
England were knocked out of the T20 tri-series they were involved in on Sunday, even though they beat New Zealand by a nail-biting margin of two runs.
With England spinner Adil Rashid opting to only play white-ball cricket for Yorkshire in the upcoming county season, Bayliss pointed out that he won’t be surprised if more players follow in the 30-year-old’s footsteps.
“It is quite obvious that [Australia’s] players have all come out of two months of T20 cricket, whereas both New Zealand and England have been playing other forms or, as is the case for some of our guys, sitting at home,” he said. “That was quite evident in the way that they played – they were up to speed with the T20 game.
“[Adil] was out of the Test team and wants to concentrate on his white-ball cricket. I think there will be more of those players – it’s just the nature of the beast and the way world cricket is going.
“In swimming you have a 1500m specialist and a 100m specialist. It’s the way it seems to be heading – only the best players are able to play in all three formats so if some guys want to concentrate on one form, so be it.”
Meanwhile, England captain Eoin Morgan said that there was a “good chance” all-rounder Ben Stokes would make his international comeback in the first ODI against New Zealand on February 25 in Hamilton.
However, Bayliss suggested otherwise, saying that he still needs time to “get up to speed”.
Stokes joined his England teammates in New Zealand after appearing at Bristol Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, where he pleaded not guilty to a charge of affray.
Since he was not required to attend the hearing on March 12, he was given permission to travel to New Zealand.
“Ben has fitted right back in and it only seems like yesterday that he went away,” Bayliss said. “It will take a while for him to get up to speed and we will have to make a decision [based on] nets.
“I think [the first ODI] might be a bit early for him – and as we won our last series 4-1 [against Australia] there might not be a spot for him! We are just going to have to play it by ear.”