JOHANNESBURG: Dean Elgar, the South African Test captain, urged on his star players to prioritise playing for their country over the riches of the Indian Premier League (IPL) on Friday.

On March 18, South Africa will play Bangladesh in three one-day internationals and two Test matches.

The IPL begins on March 26, but players will need to arrive early in order to meet with a three-day quarantine rule for the lucrative competition.

The IPL will feature eleven South African players, including Kagiso Rabada, Anrich Nortje, Lungi Ngidi, and Marco Jansen, the country’s top four fast bowlers, as well as Test batsmen Aiden Markram and Rassie van der Dussen.

Elgar said that Cricket South Africa had put the onus on the players to announce whether or not they wanted to go to the IPL during an arrival press conference following South Africa’s drawn Test series in New Zealand.

“It’s a tough one, putting that in the players’ box, but I guess you will see where players’ loyalty lies,” said Elgar.

Dean Elgar stated that he intended to speak with each player individually.

“They mustn’t forget that Test cricket or one-day cricket got them into the IPL, not the other way around.”

Because the one-day series against Bangladesh will end on March 23, one-day specialists like David Miller and Quinton de Kock will be able to participate without missing too much of the IPL.

The Test series, which is part of the World Test Championship, presents a greater challenge. It commences on March 31 and concludes on April 12th.

Despite the fact that the IPL continues through May 29, participation in the Tests might cost players a significant amount of money.

Dean Elgar stated that he hoped to learn more about which players would be available in the coming week and that he was especially concerned about the possibility of not having his front-line bowlers available.

“I wish I knew more for my own personal sanity,” said Elgar. “If I don’t have everyone at my disposal then it’s a little bit difficult. It’s a tough one for me. I can’t take the field without my best side.”

Because South Africa had a terrible record in both cities, including losing both Tests against Sri Lanka in 2018/19, Elgar said the fact that Bangladesh would be playing in Durban and Gqeberha (previously Port Elizabeth) had already “brought them into the game.”

“You don’t want players to miss out on a big occasion like the IPL,” he said.

“But I’d still like to think playing for your country is bigger than that.”

Cricket South Africa has already expressed a desire to work with India’s Board of Control for Cricket on the IPL.

South Africa, unlike other countries, did not return their players from the IPL prior of the 2019 World Cup, and they reached an agreement last season when IPL-contracted players were freed from the third of three one-day internationals and a four-match Twenty20 series against Pakistan.

CSA, on the other hand, refused to let their contracted players participate in the recent Pakistan Super League, preferring that they stay in South Africa for domestic competition.

Meanwhile, former captain Graeme Smith, the CSA’s director of cricket, faces an arbitration hearing beginning Monday on “tentative findings” of racial bias.

Because of Smith’s close connection with Indian board president Sourav Ganguly, India has been able to make money-making tours of South Africa at a time when the CSA is cash-strapped.

Smith’s contract with CSA will expire at the end of March, and it’s unclear whether he will reapply.

Smith’s lawyer, David Becker, said Smith and his advisers had long expressed dissatisfaction with the way racial discrimination proceedings were conducted.

“He is looking forward to demonstrating that these findings are without merit.”

Two advocates designated by CSA and Smith’s legal team will conduct the arbitration sessions, and their results will be made public.

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