All-rounder Andrew Flintoff keen to join IPL in 2009

All-rounder Andrew Flintoff wants to join the Indian Premier League next season because he believes England will benefit from extra Twenty20 experience.

England slumped to defeat in their one-day series with India as the hosts took an unassailable 4-0 lead on Sunday.

Flintoff told BBC Sport: "They (India's players) played in the IPL and have brought that into the 50-over game.

"I'd be keen to have a go at it on the Indian pitches, with the Indian players and international cricketers."

England captain Kevin Pietersen, who is also keen to play in the lucrative IPL, praised the "freedom" of India's batting style after watching his side struggle to compete.

Flintoff is certain England could match their flair if they were able to play Twenty20 cricket at the elite level by joining the IPL.

"It is possibly now an important development in a player's life," added the Lancashire man.

"It's something I think our players would be keen to do. We've got to expand our game a little bit. The basics are there, we just need to turn it up a notch.

"India are very well-drilled and confident coming into this series and we've been pretty much out-played in each department."

England have not yet reached agreement with India over the release of players for the 2009 IPL campaign, which is expected to begin on 10 April and run until 29 May - while England's players are yet to sign their central contracts.

The IPL's dates would clash with England's scheduled two home Tests in May, a long-term commitment for the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB).

England's home Tests in May 2009 will either be against Sri Lanka - whose top players are eyeing up the IPL - or West Indies.

ECB chiefs held the latest in a series of meeting with IPL chairman Lalit Modi in Mumbai last weekend.

They discussed the release of England players in return for Indian players being made available for the English Premier League - a new competition which will start in 2010.

But no agreement was reached and more discussions are scheduled in the next few weeks.

Modi has also been insistent that the IPL will take place in April and May each year and will not be moved.