The way to IPL 2020 is becoming clear:
The path to the most awaiting tournament, IPL 2020 is becoming more clear with IPL Governing Council Chairman, Brijesh Patel declaring the decision to host the T20 tournament in the UAE this year. The tentative fixtures and schedule see the tournament starting in September last week but according to the reports, the BCCI is being under pressure to conduct an International series with South Africa before starting the 13th edition of IPL.
In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, the Indian cricket board, BCCI has been quite some of its international matches being called off. Beginning with the limited-overs matches in March against South Africa, the Indian Cricket Board has canceled games against Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka too.
As per the media report, the stakeholders of BCCI are putting pressure on the cricket board to conduct an international series before starting the cash-rich league IPL, most preferably against South Africa.
After the ODI series between India and South Africa was canceled in the month of March, the two sides have been scheduled for competition in August for three T20I games.
Concerning the bilateral tournament, Brijesh Patel, the IPL chairman told the paper: “At the Governing Council meeting of IPL, we will discuss all these things.”
For India, what is next in international cricket?
With the Test series between England and West Indies, international cricket has resumed in the UK in this month of July. From the 5th of August, the ECB has decided to conduct a Test series between England and Pakistan.
Concerning the cricketing schedule of India so far, it feels like the Australia tour, which was scheduled to be held in this yearend will be the only bilateral tournament of the Indian team.
In the next week, the BCCI contracted Indian cricketers are set to regroup for a national camp at the Motera stadium of Ahmedabad in which the Indian players can do their training sessions.
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Indian cricketers have only been working at their home for their fitness and had no cricketing practice on the field. The training session in-stadium will provide them the opportunity to rediscover their lost touch and get prepared for a packed cricketing schedule in the remaining months of the year.
As per some sources, BCCI is planning to conduct IPL from 26th September, but there are also chances to organize a 3-T20I series in late August against South Africa and mark the return of India to international cricket.
