Picture Credit: Twitter/@englandcricket
If recent reports emerging from England hold any truth then Lancashire could find themselves in a huge scheduling conflict in the next season. This is because while the fifth Test match of India's tour of England was called off due to COVID-19 earlier this year and was pushed back to 2022, the Old Trafford in Manchester hasn't yet been finalised as the venue.
It is being reported that the rescheduled Test match is set to clash with the Three Lions' limited-overs series against South Africa. Interestingly, Manchester is already one of the venues for that assignment.
A report carried by the Daily Mail claims that Lancashire have not been able to commit Old Trafford as a venue for the rescheduled fixture which is set to be played in 2022 now after the visiting Indian team pulled out on the morning of the Test match. With a very narrow window available to them, Lancashire have not yet given their confirmation for Old Trafford to be the host of the match.
While England and South Africa are scheduled to play an ODI at this venue on July 24, the stadium is also set to host a few musical events. It is worth highlighting that Lancashire lost more than £1million in hospitality due to the cancellation of the last Test.
In my mind, we won England series 2-1: Rohit Sharma
As far as India opener Rohit Sharma is concerned, he reckons that India has already won the series and he will play the rescheduled Test, if it happens, as a fresh match.
"I don’t know what’s happening with the last Test match. Whether we are playing a one-off Test (next year) but in my mind we have won the series 2-1," he said at an event as quoted in a PTI report.
The Hitman, who was India's leading run-scorer in the four-Test matches and ended his wait for an overseas Test hundred on this tour, added that while runs in English conditions were good, this was not his best performance in Test matches.
"It’s not my best series. I feel my best is yet to come. I utilised the time before the World Test Championship final in Southampton (to figure) what sort of technique and mindset is required. I was pretty happy and would like to take it further," he added.