The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has formed a committee to review the domestic cricket schedule. On March 18, the BCCI Apex Council roped in Chief Selector Ajit Agarkar, NCA Director VVS Laxman, General Manager Abey Kuruvilla and Head Coach Rahul Dravid to form the review committee.
The committee will review the impact of weather on domestic cricket. The Ranji Trophy, which ended on March 10, was heavily affected by weather, especially in the Eastern and the Northern venues.
At the same time, the committee will review the domestic cricket calendar, which is allegedly too cramped up, to give cricketers some breathing space.
What Shardul Thakur said
Mumbai all-rounder Shardul Thakur, who scored 75 off 69 balls in the first innings of the Ranji final against Vidarbha, has blamed the hectic schedule for injuries. He pointed out that all the matches had three-day gaps, while the knock-outs had five-day gaps.
Calling it “extremely tough” for cricketers, Thakur said cricketers were expected to play ten consecutive games with three-day gaps in case their teams reach the final. According to the player, a regular in the national team, domestic cricketers need more breaks.
“I think next year they will have to have a re-look at it and give more breaks. The schedule is becoming tighter and tighter. If the boys keep playing like this for two more seasons, there will be a lot of injuries across the country,” Thakur said.
Rahul Dravid agrees
Head Coach Dravid has emphasised the importance of hearing players out since they are the ones “going through the grind.” Some of the cricketers who join the national team, according to Dravid, also complain about the hectic schedule. A lot of travel is involved in a country like India, so players’ grievances need to be addressed, he said.
“You need to hear your players because they are the ones going through the grind and putting their bodies on the line, and if there are enough voices saying that, then yeah, I think there’s some need to look at it and see how we can manage our schedules,” he said.
“Maybe we need to re-look and see whether some of the tournaments that we are conducting are necessary in this day and age or if they are not necessary. There needs to be an all-round review (for) coaches and players, especially the guys who are part of the domestic circuit,” Dravid added.
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Published: 19 Mar 2024, 10:06 AM IST