Former South African pacer Dale Steyn has been one of the most popular overseas players to have played the IPL. However, in the last few seasons, he was not a regular member of Royal Challengers Bangalore playing XI which is why he decided to skip IPL 2021. He played just three games for the franchise last season. Teams in the last few seasons have not been fond of roping in the Protean pacer knowing his history of injuries. Therefore he chose to play in the PSL 2021 and not IPL 2021.
Dale Steyn is a globe trotter when it comes to playing in franchise T20 leagues and he has played across various leagues all over the world. With age catching up and the legendary pacer being ignored in the IPL, he has chosen to play in the PSL, where he is getting games regularly. In an interactive session on Twitter, Steyn was targeted by Indian fans for skipping IPL 2021.
Dale Steyn Responds To Criticism On Twitter
The 37-year-old very tactfully answered his trollers and explained them the reason behind skipping a league like the IPL. “Bottom line is Steyn is at the end of his career. He was unlikely to be selected anyway. Hence his comments,” a fan commented.
Bottom line is Steyn is at the end of his career. He was unlikely to be selected anyway. Hence his comments.
— Balls (@BaldeepDaMann) March 19, 2021
“100% truth. And if I was selected might not even play, hence playing smaller leagues and guaranteed a spot in the starting 11 seems a more obvious choice for me at the point of my career, doesn’t mean IPL isn’t still the biggest and most obvious goal for all other cricketers,” Dale Steyn replied saying.
100% truth. And if I was selected might not even play, hence playing smaller leagues and guaranteed a spot in the starting 11 seems a more obvious choice for me at my point of my career, doesn’t mean IPL isn’t still the biggest and most obvious goal for all other cricketers.
— Dale Steyn (@DaleSteyn62) March 19, 2021
Also Read: Dale Steyn Shuts Down A Commentator Over Mid-Life Crisis Remark In PSL 2021
Dale Steyn was previously targeted by Indian fans when he said that playing in the IPL is tougher than the PSL because of the presence of many big names in the squad. He said fighting for a spot becomes difficult with only four overseas players allowed to play in the XI.
“When you go to IPL, there’s such big squads and there are so many big names and there’s so much emphasis on the amount of money that the players earn that sometimes, somewhere along the line the cricket gets forgotten”, Steyn said.
When you go to IPL,there are such big squads,so many big names and so much emphasis on maybe the amount of money players earn and everything like that,so sometimes,cricket gets forgotten.When you come to like a PSL or LPL there is an importance on the cricket.Dale Steyn pic.twitter.com/xadKxcKnyv
— Saleem Khaliq (@saleemkhaliq) March 2, 2021
The legendary fast bowler opted out of the IPL 2021 auction owing to personal reasons. He represented the Royal Challengers Bangalore (RCB) in IPL 2020 but was unable to make any sort of impact throughout the season. Steyn at present is playing for the Quetta Gladiators in the ongoing PSL, which has been postponed.
Also Read: Watch – IPL Or PSL? Dale Steyn Picks The Better League Among the Two