The ECB and BCCI will make every possible attempt to rearrange the canceled fifth Test at Old Trafford, the BCCI said. The initial ECB statement, confirming the match had been canceled because of Indian “fears of a further increase in the number of COVID cases inside the camp”, said the tourists had forfeited the Test but they quickly amended the statement and changed the forfeiture part. The ECB then confirmed discussions were still ongoing as to the result of the game.
Shortly after, the BCCI issued a statement of their own saying: “In lieu of the strong relationship between the BCCI and ECB, the BCCI has offered to ECB a rescheduling of the canceled Test match. Both boards will work towards finding a window to reschedule this Test match.”
However, the ECB chief executive, Tom Harrison during a hat on Sky Sports said, “Any rescheduled match would be a standalone match.” That would mean that India has won the series 2-1 to India. That has yet to be confirmed however and nor is the impact on the World Test Championship points known as yet.
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Talking about the cancellation of the Test, ECB chief executive said, “India has been wonderful tourists, but they have been here for a long time. Playing at this level, week after week is difficult. When Covid creeps into an environment, it can accelerate very quickly. Hopefully, we can get this Test on some other time, but it won’t be the same as it has the conclusion after four brilliant matches.”
When asked about the result of the series, Harrison said: “That’s not one for today. That is not a decision for us, it’s a decision for ICC to think about in the context of the World Test Championship. Nobody is trying to score points here. It’s about making the right decisions given the context of what’s taking place and being fair to each side. We just expect the people that are in place to make those decisions.”
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The WTC competition terms allow cancellation of the Test match if COVID has had a significant impact on a team’s ability to field aside. However, with none of India’s 20-strong playing contingent have contracted the virus, that appears a difficult position for the Indian team to take. However, if the ECB were to accept that argument this could be considered as a four-match series with the points worked out on a percentage basis. If the ECB does not agree, they could contest the result under a Dispute Resolution Committee.
There have been some reports that India’s squad can have an adverse effect on their participation in the IPL which begins on September 19. Talking about the same ECB chief executive said, “I think that’s unfair. I think the BCCI, their captain all want to make their mark in Test cricket. I was on the phone all night to our colleagues in India and some of them in Dubai to find different ways of getting this Test match played.”
He further added, “To delay it by a day, to delay it by two days to give comfort that we could do more testing in this environment. As you rightly pointed out, we haven’t had a positive test in a recent couple of rounds. But once those fears creep in, they can be very hard to shift. So it’s turned out to be in this case. There are no winners here.”
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Speaking on Sky Sports, Dinesh Karthik said: “I spoke to a few of the guys. The general feeling is, after the 4th Test, they are tired. They only have one physio right now, they have done a lot of work with that man and now he tests positive. If it was someone else, someone working in logistics, they wouldn’t be this afraid. But when this person got it, that’s when they got the jitters. You have to understand that soon after they have the IPL, the World Cup soon after that.”
He further elaborated, “When they assembled in India it was 16 May. It’s four months now. Most of the guys today haven’t slept until 2.30 – 3 am in the morning. The Test happening today was out of the question. You have to remember that there is a good chance that a PCR three days later could show a positive and if he is playing in the match, what happens to that person? And then they have to spend 10 days in the UK.”
