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New Delhi, April 18: Gujarat Titans' left-arm fast bowler Luke Wood said the standard in the Indian Premier League (IPL) is closest to what one gets while playing international cricket, adding that featuring in the tournament was an aim he was chasing since childhood and ranked it just behind the honour of representing England.
"It's pretty well known across the world that the IPL is the sort of main event in the calendar.
"So, for me, being able to play in the IPL and represent a team is a massive privilege. I think as a kid, besides playing for England, for me, the IPL was always on the radar.
"So, look, a lot of franchise leagues are similar in terms of just if you're playing for a new team or you're with people you necessarily don't know to start with, or on that side as well. But the actual standard of cricket in the IPL is probably at a next level and the closest to international cricket you're going to get," Wood, who's played 3 ODIs and 16 T20Is for England, told IANS in an exclusive conversation on Saturday.
Apart from the IPL, Wood has played in The Hundred, Big Bash League, Bangladesh Premier League, Pakistan Super League, and ILT20. While signalling young fast bowler Ashok Sharma as a fantastic talent, Wood also distinguished the IPL and other franchise T20 leagues around the world," he added. (PTI)