WTC Final should take precedence over IPL, insists S.Africa coach

Coach Shukri Conrad said on Tuesday that South Africa's players must prioritise the World Test Championship Final over the closing stages of the Indian Premier League.

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Conrad said there was an agreement that South Africa's players would return from India on May 26 - the day after the original date of the IPL final.

This would enable them to have time to prepare for the Test final against Australia at Lord’s in London from June Il to 15.

He said he did not expect that to change, despite the IPL being rescheduled to finish on June 3 after a postponement caused by recent hostilities between India and Pakistan.

“Our initial agreement with the IPL and the Indian board was that our players would return on the 26th,” said Conrad.

He cautioned that discussions between Cricket South Africa and the Indian board were still taking place.

“As it stands, we're not budging on this, We want our players back on the 26th.”