Indian players can be expected to share more than one responsibility over the next season of the Indian Premier League (IPL). It’s unlikely that the whole two months will be entirely white-ball, as players could also have to participate in red-ball activities. That is naturally because of the five-match away Test series in England in June-July after the IPL.
The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is planning a scheme to keep the players connected to Test cricket, the red-ball game, amid the IPL season. Players would probably be made to attend some red-ball practice sessions or go through unusual tasks specific to specified players. Undoubtedly, the BCCI has the objective to stop the run of losses in five-day cricket. The IPL will be held from March 22 to May 25, with the five-Test series starting in Headingley on June 20.
The specifics of the plan’s execution remain under wraps, though initial talks about the overlapping system have already occurred. Key members of the Indian team management, alongside BCCI strategists, met in Dubai, where the players are competing in the Champions Trophy, to deliberate on the approach.
A brief outline of these combined efforts was addressed by the decision-makers after the India-Pakistan clash in Dubai on Sunday. Further discussions are slated to happen once the Champions Trophy wraps up on March 9, with the IPL kicking off less than two weeks later.
In the IPL, the BCCI usually gives players the freedom to concentrate on their respective teams without excessive interference in their duties. But the trend of India losing all away series to England following the IPL (except one) has not escaped the notice of the BCCI’s think tank. For instance, the 2011 series concluded in a 4-0 loss, the 2014 series concluded with the home team emerging victorious at 3-1, and in 2018, India was defeated 4-1.
Notably, the outcome of the last away series in 2021 (which was tied, with the last Test being played a year later due to COVID) ended as a 2-2 draw—India was 2-1 up in the series before the COVID intervention in the 2021 summer. Still, the BCCI is considering recent Test performances seriously. India lost a rare home series to New Zealand (3-0) and then lost 3-1 in Australia.
Although the exact methods the BCCI will use to ensure players are primed for Test cricket are being kept under wraps, it’s evident that preparations are already underway.
Edited by Shvetank Maurya
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