"CSA Not At Liberty To Refuse": South Africa's IPL Contracted Players To Skip Bangladesh Test Series

"CSA is not at liberty to refuse players the opportunity to take part in the IPL, as CSA and SACA look to balance the livelihoods and opportunities of players and their national duties," said CSA in a statement.

The South African Test side for the two-match home series against Bangladesh "will be without its IPL players," announced Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Thursday. The likes of Marco Jansen, Aiden Markram, Lungi Ngidi, Kagiso Rabada and Rassie van der Dussen were not included in the 15-man squad released by CSA. Jansen, Markram, Ngidi and Dussen featured in South Africa's 2-1 series victory against India and also in the away series against New Zealand. But the five cricketers along with Quinton de Kock, Dwaine Pretorius, David Miller have got IPL contracts which clashes with the Bangladesh Tests. IPL 2022 begins from March 26 while the first South Africa-Bangladesh Test is scheduled to begin on March 31. Dean Elgar's #Proteas squad to take on Bangladesh in the 2️⃣ match #BetwayTestSeries.Khaya Zondo receives his first Test call-up.???? 31 Mar - 12 Apr ????️ Hollywoodbets Kingsmead Stadium, Durban | St George's Park, Gqeberha#SAvBAN #BePartOfIt pic.twitter.com/F1GIk6a4Du “The loss of the IPL players is not ideal, but we back the CSA system, its ever-growing pipeline and most of all, the players we have selected,” says CSA Convenor of Selectors, Victor Mpitsang.#SAvBAN #BetwayTestSeries

CSA said they don't have the "liberty to refuse" players an opportunity to take part in the IPL.

"The team will be without its IPL players. CSA's current MOU with @SACAplayers states that CSA is not at liberty to refuse players the opportunity to take part in the IPL, as CSA and SACA look to balance the livelihoods and opportunities of players and their national duties," said CSA in a statement.