Remove T20 cricket from international schedule, England coach Bayliss says

Auckland, February 18: England coach Trevor Bayliss has called for less Twenty20 cricket to be played on the international calendar and predicted that the format will become increasingly separated from the sport's longer forms in future.

England's win over New Zealand

Bayliss' side were eliminated from the trans-Tasman tri-series in New Zealand on Sunday, having won only one of their four matches in a tournament dominated so far by Australia.

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"I haven't changed my opinion - I wouldn't play T20 international cricket," Bayliss told Sky Sports.

"If you want to play a World Cup every four years or so then maybe get the international teams to play six months before, but I'd just let the franchises play.

"I think [separate T20 coaches] is definitely the way it's heading if we continue to put in so many games. There will be a blow-out with coaches."

Adil Rashid this week signed a white-ball only contract with Yorkshire for the 2018 season and, believing Australia to have reaped the rewards of coming off the back of a Big Bash League campaign, Bayliss thinks there could be an increasing role for T20 specialists.

"It is quite obvious that [Australia's] players have all come out of two months of T20 cricket, whereas both New Zealand and England have been playing other forms or, as is the case for some of our guys, sitting at home," added Bayliss.

"That was quite evident in the way that they played - they were up to speed with the T20 game.

"[Adil] was out of the Test team and wants to concentrate on his white-ball cricket. I think there will be more of those players - it's just the nature of the beast and the way world cricket is going.

"In swimming you have a 1500m specialist and a 100m specialist. It's the way it seems to be heading - only the best players are able to play in all three formats so if some guys want to concentrate on one form, so be it."

Australia face New Zealand in the final of the tri-series in Auckland on Wednesday.

Source: OPTA