CHENNAI: If need be, BCCI is prepared to field two separate teams in the post-COVID-19 world. It is understood that discussions to this effect have taken place at primary levels, with the board ready to give serious consideration to the extreme situation at present.
England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Cricket Australia (CA) have already mentioned a similar model, in which separate teams for Tests and limited overs were being considered to make up for the cricket lost since March. Australia’s tour of Bangladesh has been postponed indefinitely. England were scheduled to host West Indies and Pakistan in the summer, but are facing logistical issues.
While ECB is exploring a bio-secure series that will be limited to four venues, there is a strong possibility that with time constraints, the option of fielding two teams is being considered.The story is the same with CA and BCCI. The latter seems to have already lost out on IPL, and is exploring this option if it can’t host any matches in its home international season which usually begins in October. With uncertainty looming over the existing Future Tours Programme, BCCI is again ready to push ICC to defer World Test Championship. The move will open up windows to play more bilateral series.
BCCI expects member boards to seek its help for playing bilateral series, and expects the calendar to be busy when normalcy is restored worldwide.“We are considering all kinds of scenarios at the moment,” an official privy to developments told this daily.
“This (two teams) has already been done by Australia before. If need be, we have to do that too. We need all formats to co-exist. Considering the time we have lost, we have to be prepared for all scenarios. India has a big pool of players, so we have started basic discussions.”
BCCI doesn’t expect the tour to Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe to go ahead. Asia Cup is also likely to be postponed. All this will result in India not having any matches at least till September. While England were suppose to tour India for three T20Is, it is not clear if that will go ahead as ECB plans to host Pakistan in the same period. In that scenario, ECB might send a different side to India.