Is club bigger than the country? Debate sparks as South African players skip Bangladesh series over Indian T20 League

There is a lot of money involved in the Indian T20 League, which attracts players from all over the world. The ITL versus country cricket debate has often got the cricket fraternity divided. Many players have chosen the cash-rich league over their country, which has irked many former cricketers.

This debate has once again sparked with South African players choosing ITL over their Test series against Bangladesh. The players were asked to make their choice but they chose the cash-rich league over their national duties. Earlier, skipper Dean Elgar had said that this would be the 'litmus test of loyalty for all the players. However, the words didn't motivate his teammates to play for their country over ITL. The latest to join to give his opinion on this controversial debate is former Indian cricketer Aakash Chopra.

Speaking on his YouTube channel, Chopra said, "The question that stems from this is - Is club bigger than the country? The club versus country debate has caught a little fire again. The question is - Is IPL bullying the other boards?"

Adding further, he said that the players should not have been given a choice in the first place as they would always prioritize the ITL. "Do not make players make this difficult choice. The club versus country conflict will keep continuing, there will be different opinions on it but the fact is the players will choose IPL ahead of bilateral commitments and the boards will not be able to stop it," he said.

Notably, players like Aiden Markram, Kagiso Rabada, Rassie van der Dussen, among others will not be a part of the Test series against Bangladesh. The ITL will begin on the 26th of March. Defending champions Chennai will take on Kolkata in the season opener at the Wankhede Stadium.