With Team India players hardly getting a chance even to freshen themselves up due to the rigorous schedule, head coach Ravi Shastri has urged the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) be considerate with the scheduling to give the players and the support staff a much-needed break.
The players and the support staff have hardly taken a break since the start of the last home season where India played as many as 13 Tests in addition to playing 8 ODIs and 3 T20Is. It was followed by the grueling Indian Premier League, the Champions Trophy and the limited-overs series in West Indies. Virat Kohli & Co. then toured Sri Lanka for a full-fledged series and are now gearing up for the five-match ODI series and three-match T20I series against Australia which will start on September 17.
According to Indian Express, Shastri made his proposal through a video conference on Friday (September 8) when the Supreme Court appointed Committee of Administrators (COA) and board chief executive officer Rahul Johri met in New Delhi.
“The international calendar is so tight these days and it’s not only the matches that take a toll on players’ body, but the long flights and travelling. Shastri has requested us to look into it, as he believes it would help players to recover faster. England and Australia give enough gaps between series and the BCCI too should have a plan where players can get a decent break and recover better. Otherwise, everyone is happy with the way how BCCI is taking care of its players,” a BCCI source was quoted as saying by the news outlet.
The series against Australia will be followed by yet another grueling season where India will take on New Zealand just four days after the conclusion of the series against Steve Smith & Co. The series against the Black Caps will conclude on November 7, and barely a week later, Sri Lanka will land for the final home series. A few days later, the Indian team will fly out to South Africa for a full-fledged series.