The England Cricket Board (ECB) has denied reports of the BCCI asking them to change the Test series schedule to fit in the IPL 2021 in September. There were talks in the Indian and the British media about rescheduling the Manchester Test from September second week to July fourth week. However, the ECB has denied any such reports saying that the five-match Test series will go on as per schedule.
The Test series will start from August 4 in Trent Bridge. The Lord’s, Headingley, Kennington Oval, and Old Trafford are the venues for the other four games. The BCCI request, the reports said, was in view of creating a window to hold the unfinished IPL games in September.
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No Official Request Made By BCCI: ECB
“We talk to the BCCI on a regular basis about a wide range of issues especially as we address the challenges of Covid-19, but have had no official request to change dates and are continuing to plan for the five-Test series as is scheduled” an ECB official clarified.
As per reports, the BCCI was thereafter looking for a window in September to finish the remaining games. Though the ECB has denied the reports of BCCI asking for a tweak in the Test series schedule, further developments on the matter remain to be seen.
“The Board of Control for Cricket in India has enquired about the possibility of moving the final Test of the English summer in order to make room to complete the postponed Indian Premier League. Informal discussions have been had between the respective boards as cricket continues to grapple with a schedule ravaged by Covid.
“The request puts the ECB in a tricky position, stuck between the rock of wanting to maintain good relations with the most powerful cricket nation as well as being as flexible and helpful as possible given the postponement of the game’s most financially lucrative competition, and the hard place of not impacting on their own carefully planned domestic schedule. At this late stage it is hard to see the ECB acceding to any potential change and it is expected to hold its ground,” a report in Times London said.
Meanwhile, the BCCI has not yet responded to the fresh reports.
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