Some of the recent reports have suggested that the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), has proposed to England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to start the 5-match Test series early from the end of July and it will help the India board to create a window for the remainder of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in September. Earlier this month, IPL 2021 got suspended for an indefinite period of time due to positive Covid-19 cases in bio-bubbles in India.
After the World Test Championship final, starting June 18 in Southampton, India is scheduled to be locking horns with England in a 5-Test series in England and is scheduled to be commencing from August 4 and run until September 14. India players will stay back in the UK in the month of July, in a bid to prepare for the Test series after the WTC final.
BCCI is looking for a vacant window for the remainder of the IPL 2021, which got suspended earlier this month after a number of Covid-19 cases were reported inside the bio-bubble. Sri Lanka, UAE, and England are in the race to host the remaining 31 games of IPL 2021.
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If BCCI plans to host the IPL after England series, they will get a two-week window to stage the remaining 31 games, which won’t be sufficient time. The T20 World Cup is also in line to be hosted in India in the October-November window. Hence, the board is in a tricky situation to fit in the IPL.
Now, BCCI and ECB are discussing the possibility to shorten the five-match Test series between the two teams. If the series is shortened, ECB would want the IPL 2021 to take place in England to cover up the financial loss.
The Times of India quoted a source saying “BCCI and the ECB are in discussions to tweak the five-Test series. Details of those discussions aren’t public yet. But in whichever manner the ECB agrees to tweak the Test series, they will want the IPL in England because the counties can earn from it. There’ll be a good chance of a quid pro quo.”
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The sources have even stated that England remains the first option for IPL but UAE and Sri Lanka cannot be discounted either. “Only if costs are escalating to a point where it starts affecting stakeholders, the BCCI will consider the UAE as the second option for the IPL. On that front, we aren’t even discounting the idea of hosting the IPL in Sri Lanka,” the sources further added.
India tour of England 2021 schedule
- World Test Championship final – June 18 in Southampton
- 1st Test vs England – From August 4 in Nottingham
- 2nd Test – From August 12 in London
- 3rd Test – From August 25 in Leeds
- 4th Test – From September 2 in London
- 5th Test – From September 10 in Manchester
