BCCI, ECB discuss 'tweaking' of 5-match England-India Test series to accommodate IPL 2021

BCCI marks England as most-preferred destination for IPL 2021, overlooks Sri Lanka, UAE as options

The Board of Control for Cricket in India is considering relocating the remaining portion of the 14th edition of IPL which was postponed indefinitely due to the rising number of Covid-19 cases to the United Kingdom, TOI reported. England has emerged as the most preferred location because the UK government is likely to allow spectators into the stadiums which the BCCI believe will boost the revenue for all itself and all stakeholders such as ECB, English counties and IPL franchises. “UK is a relatively costlier destination. But on the flipside, the UK government is allowing crowds for sports events. That means, franchises can earn from gate money and that will subsidize costs. As of now, this is how the BCCI is seeing it,” the TOI report said. The report also claimed that the BCCI has marked the UAE as only an alternative option to the UK in case the cost of holding the remained of the tournament will be estimated above the manageable level. The report also suggested that the BCCI has ruled out Sri Lanka as a potent location of choice for relocating the IPL 2021. “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 report said further. Notably, three English counties had offered to host the remainder of the IPL 2021 at their grounds in consultation with the ECB. The Surrey, the MCC and Warwickshire had written to the ECB to show interest in hosting the cash-rich league this year.

Lack of red-ball cricket no problem for captain Tim Paine ahead of the Ashes

For Australia skipper, Tim Paine lack of international red-ball cricket for his team ahead of the all-important Ashesh 2021-22 is not really a problem. According to the Tasmanian, modern-day cricket requires teams to change gears as and when necessary and thus he is confident that his team would be able to do that too. "In modern-day cricket, you've got to be good at changing between formats quickly. We went into an Ashes in England two years ago now, and the only red-ball game we had was against each other,” Paine told reporters in Hobart after Cricket Australia announced the schedule of its upcoming Summer of cricket. "You've got to be adaptable, you've got to be ready to go 12 months of the year and our guys are very professional like that,” Paine added saying that since Sheffield shield would be on at the same time and hence will give players the required practice before the big series. Paine will also become the first Tasmanian to lead an Australian side in the Hobart game for the first time after Ricky Ponting in 2010 against Pakistan. The 36-year-old will lead the men in Baggy Greens in their first-ever Test against Afghanistan at his home ground of Bellerive Oval also called Blundstone Arena in the first Summer Test starting November 27. "It’s something I have always wanted to do. It will be a very proud moment for me to lead the Australian Test side out here," Paine who has so far played 35 Tests for the Aussie nation said. He added that playing against Afghanistan will also set them up for Ashes. “Afghanistan have got some highly talented spinners in particular that will create us a real challenge."

Test cricket is won by bowlers: Jhulan Goswami excited to play longest format after six years

Two Indian Women’s team cricketers who made their debuts together against England Women in Test cricket way back in 2002, will be having a go at the longest format once again when they play the one-off Tests against the same opponent in Bristol next month. Jhulan Goswami was one of the team, while the other was current Indian Eves’ skipper Mithali Raj. Fast bowler Jhulean is excited to be finally playing Test after the wait of six long years. “Getting to play a Test after such a long time has got me excited and nervous. There are lots of questions going through my mind now and I am sure of the other team members too,” Jhulan was quoted as saying to Hindustan Times. Questions such as adaptability to situation and conditions of the pitch, concentration for 90 overs and remaining focussed and patient at the same time are the ones that Jhulan pointed out as challenges. But the 38-year-old believes that Tests are always won by bowlers and Indian bowlers would have to pull up their socks to the challenge ahead. "There will be sessions when we won’t get a wicket and there will be sessions when all we get is a chance and we have to take it. So, mentally we have to be very strong and physically too because how else will you last a day and over the course of a game take 20 wickets? Tests are won by bowlers. Always,” she said. "White-ball cricket has got them all to play those deliveries outside off-stump. It is one of the habits that will need to be controlled. So, it is a challenge for all of us," added Goswami who is the leading wicket-taker in the world in ODI cricket with 233 scalps from 186 matches. India Women have overall played 36 Tests till now, winning five and losing four, while 27 matches resulted in a draw. In the last three Tests though, the Mithali Raj led side have won all which include two against England Women and one against Proteas Women. However, what perturbed is the fact that among the 36 Tests, India played 26 in the last century and have been able to play just 11 this century and that haunts Goswami. The right-arm seamer who has 40 Tests wickets in 10 games at 16.62 wickets apiece, believes that apart from Australia, no other team gives importance to Test cricket and thus there is actually no competitor against which India Women could play. “So every country, barring England and Australia who play Tests because of the Ashes, has prioritised them over Tests. It is not just about blaming BCCI for not arranging Tests for women, India also need to have opponents to play with," she said.

Rachin Ravindra ecstatic to share dressing room with Kane Williamson, skipper calls him 'valuable asset'

New Zealand newcomer Rachin Ravindra is ecstatic at the prospect of sharing the same dressing room with his batting idol Kane Williamson in the upcoming series against England. Ravindra, who has earned a maiden call up to the squad for the two-match Test series said the Blackcaps skipper Kane Williamson has been a ‘world-class’ player at the international level in the last decade. He also said that it would be an ‘incredible feeling’ for him to learn the craft 0f batsmanship from Williamson from such close quarters. “I talk about idols in the team and he is definitely one of them. He is a world-class batsman and has been for the last 10 years. So, every single opportunity I’ll have to mingle with him will be amazing. Learning from such world-class players….I don’t know. I can’t really turn it into words because he is such a special cricketer. Sharing a dressing room with him will be an incredible feeling,” Ravindra said in a video shared on Blackcaps Twitter timeline. Discussing the quality of the Kiwi skipper in detail, the Wellington youngster said that Williamson has personified ‘the good Kiwi man’ for his humbleness. He also said that the hunger for more and more runs every time he walks out to bat and the temperament to sore big runs make him a world-class player for the Blackcaps. “I think if you watch him, just hunger for runs. He just looks like wanting to score double-hundred every time he goes out to bat and I admire the incredible temperament to be able to do that for New Zealand in Test matches. The way he goes about it. He is such a humble bloke who personified the good Kiwi man,” added the left-handed batting all-rounder. Blackcaps captain also spoke very highly of Ravindra’s all-around abilities and called him a ‘valuable asset’ for the New Zealand Test side. He said that the 21-year-old crossed every step of the game in the domestic arena to earn an ‘exciting’ opportunity for himself on his maiden Test tour. “Really exciting young talent and yes, bat and ball left-arm orthodox bowling obviously is a valuable asset and come through the grades and played and missed for a few years now and obviously been involved in A cricket as well and done really really well. So, really exciting opportunity for him on his first Test tour,” Williamson said in another video posted by the Blackcaps on Twitter. “I am sure he will fit in really really well. He’s got some teammates here and a few of the youngest guys around and few old heads but so far it has been fun and I am sure he will be eager to get into training and out of quarantine.” New Zealand players arrived in various bunches in London before heading to Southampton where they are under quarantine now. The Test series will commence on June 02 at Lord’s in London.