Team India will be playing a couple of intra-squad matches at the Riverside ground in Durham before the five-match Test series against England as Virat Kohli and his men are unlikely to get any warm-up first-class match against any county teams. The Indian skipper,Virat Kohli had expressed his displeasure at not being given any first-matches games before the England series, scheduled to be starting in Nottingham on August 4.
As per teh quotes in PTI, an ECB spokesperson informed, “Due to COVID-19 protocols, they will play two intra-squad four-day matches before the first Test in August.” While it is understood that BCCI had requested ECB to organize a few practice games, the COVID-19 situation won’t allow any such plan to go ahead. Asked if there is any chance of a game against county teams, the spokesperson said, “No”.
In England, cricketers from various counties are regularly being tested for COVID but are not being kept in any bubble. Team India, once it regroups in London on July 14 and moves to Durham, will once again be in a bubble.
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Informing the same, a BCCI official said, “The domestic cricketers of England not being in a bubble is an issue for sure. That’s why the games in Durham will be intra-squad ones.” Currently, the Indian team has been traveling with 24 players — 20 in the official squad and four reserves — which will allow them to play intra-squad games.
However, legends like Sunil Gavaskar have questioned the amount of preparedness that a simulated match can give the team. The touring teams, in the past, have played multiple first-class matches against county sides. In simulated matches, a player can bat again if he gets out quickly unlike a proper first-class match.
Chairman of national selectors Chetan Sharma and another senior selector Sunil Joshi are not going to England for the five-Test series as strict quarantine rules have become an impediment.
Informing about the same, a BCCI said, “Yes, Debu (Debasish Mohanty) and Abbey (Kuruvilla) are going to Sri Lanka where the white-ball squad will play six games. They are in quarantine at the Mumbai hotel along with the rest of the team. But no selector is traveling to the UK.”
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It is also understood in the year of a T20 World Cup, it is more important to check out the youngsters during the Sri Lanka tour rather than the tried and tested automatic choices who are in the UK for the traditional format.
