It’s difficult to match the IPL’s caliber: Tom Moody

DUBAI: When it comes to franchise cricket, former Australian star Tom Moody is a very well-liked character. Currently residing in Dubai, the all-round player serves as the director of cricket for the Desert Vipers, who placed second in this year’s inaugural DP World ILT20.

The seasoned Australian believes the squad is ready to compete well this year, ahead of the league’s second season. Moody said, “We feel our recruitment process has been robust and we are going into the tournament with a lot of confidence and with a feeling that we will play till the last game and hopefully win,” in a conversation at the ICC Academy.
Despite the fact that franchise cricket leagues are sprouting up everywhere, there is still a significant divide between them. Speaking on the same topic, Moody said, “We are still very much in the early stages of this league. But this place has extremely high standards. Of course, the Indian Premier League is the premier franchise league, and it is quite difficult to match the caliber and standards that are shown there.”
The future of other cricket formats, such as Tests and ODIs, has been questioned as more and more players choose T20 cricket, but Moody thinks red-ball cricket will endure.
“In the last several months, there have been a ton of amazing Test matches and series. It is here to stay, albeit the sheer volume of franchise events taking place globally will make it impossible for many participating countries to maintain a full schedule for Test cricket. However, the Australian thought that playing Test cricket is the ultimate accomplishment for any young player who makes it to the international system.
Since cricket can now be played all year round, balancing the workload has become the most important factor. When asked how he would have handled his career if he had continued to play, “I have never played T20s, but it would have suited my style of play,” Moody said. My top priorities, in my opinion, will always be serving my nation and succeeding at the top. However, it’s a really fortunate situation to be in to be able to play franchise cricket at some point in your career.”