Heartening to see cricket crawl back to life
nod came after the two boards thrashed out the much needed safety measures and decided that they would lock horns, sans spectators, in a bio-secure environment.
Both series are subject to the health scenarios remaining constant or improving in Australia and England. It is assumed that there may be a ‘health-safety’ rider attached but it is nevertheless a good, positive sign of progress made to start international cricket.
A few days ago England and Wales Cricket Board asked 55 players to return to training as a big move to prepare them for the international cricket to follow. Meanwhile cricket is being played at select locations in the Caribbean Islands in a Twenty10 format after CWI called off their domestic tournaments.
This could just be the impetus needed for the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to get their contracted players back on the training ground.
In India, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has issued guidelines that allow a phased re-opening of most activities across the country and limiting the lockdown with major restrictions in containment zones.
Getting players into a ‘green’ (non containment) zone for training and practice is something that BCCI should be looking at on an immediate basis. Creating a bio-secure environment in a safe zone for the players to get together after a long hiatus should not be a problem for the cricket world’s richest body. The players must be itching to get back on the ground. Easing of the isolation would make it easier for BCCI to get necessary permissions.
Ideally, the best prescription for players to get back into their groove is to start playing domestic tournaments.
No practice or simulations can replace competitive sport and representing the state will make the players get into the combative mode. The Indian Premier League (IPL) is adjourned for now.
There is an outside chance that it may be held if the T20 World Cup, hosted by Australia in October, gets deferred.
With three full months available, starting July this year, BCCI could well rejig their domestic schedule and give the players an opportunity to get ready for International matches. ‘Living with Covid-19’ is the mantra followed by most nations, including India, until a vaccine is discovered. With containment rules being eased, all it takes is good planning and foresight of the part of BCCI to get cricket back on track.
Talking of planning, it was befuddling to learn that the International Cricket Council (ICC) Board deferred all agenda items that were set to be discussed in their May 28 meeting to June 10.
The much awaited meeting, that turned into a damp squib, was crucial and would have decided the fate of the ICC T20 World Cup among other cricketing matters. The postponement, due to a leaked e-mail correspondence between the ICC and BCCI, has been questioned by many including Indian legend Sunil Gavaskar.
Till the ICC Board meets in two weeks, there will be continued speculation on whether the T20 World Cup will be played in Australia which does not augur well for the game. The Board could have taken their decisions on matters on the agenda giving their stakeholders and cricket followers an idea of the direction in which they are headed.
The leaked e-mail issue could have been dealt along with the items that were already pencilled in. Indian Cricket Council board’s virtual no-show may or may not be justified but it cannot stop people from thinking that there is much more than that meets the eye.