The BCCI officials and CoA have asked the team management whether it wants to send its core players to South Africa but Team management rejected that offer. The reports of Indian express suggests that the board had even suggested that top Test players could skip the limited-overs series against Sri Lanka and travel instead to South Africa.
As quoted in the Indian Express, a BCCI official said, “The BCCI had offered Indian team management that the core group of Test team can be sent to South Africa early. Players like Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane are not part of limited overs cricket and were playing local cricket here. The BCCI was ready to bear the cost but team management showed no interest and declined the offer. We were even ready to let top players skip ODI and T20 legs of the series against Sri Lanka.”
Team India also decided to cancel the scheduled practice game as they opted for extra practice sessions. The decision of the team management not to send players in advance to South Africa has become a talking point in the BCCI after India’s 72-run loss in the first Test. A day after a bruising loss in the first Test, Indian skipper Virat Kohli had disagreed that the team’s preparation could have been better, he said, “We were very well prepared. I don’t think we felt any lack of preparation. Even they got out for 130 in the second innings and they play here all the time. It was a wicket where things were happening every day. And I think we let ourselves down with the bat, that’s for sure.”
Back in India, the BCCI reckons that it was team management’s call to take up their suggestion. One of teh sources of the Indian Express said, “Players like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman were sent to Australia or New Zealand where they played with local teams before joining the Indian team. The BCCI has no problem in arranging practice games before any overseas tour. It’s the team management which has to take the call. When Dravid had requested for early trip to New Zealand the board straight away said yes as these Under-19 boys have not played in New Zealand before.”
