Picture Credit: BCCI/IPL
The fate of IPL 2021 still hangs in balance as a total of 31 matches are yet to be played in the tournament that stands postponed indefinitely following the second wave of COVID-19 in India. Notably, the mega event was called off midway on May 4 after the deadly virus entered its bio-bubble forcing the postponement of a couple of matches before the BCCI decided to put a halt to the entire tournament.
However, in the past few weeks, the reports of the resumption of IPL 2021 is doing rounds. It is being learnt that the BCCI is trying every possible way to conduct the remainder of the matches in the upcoming months of September and October. Earlier, some media houses had even reported that BCCI had requested the ECB to tweak the schedule of the five-match Test series between the sides, but later, an official from the cricket governing body confirmed the media that any such request hasn't been made.
BCCI in talks with ECB informally regarding schedule of Ind-Eng Test series
It is worth noting that Team India India face New Zealand in World Test Championship final slated between June 18 and 22. After this, they play five-match Test series against England starting 4th August - 11 days after the Test finale. Meanwhile, the series that concludes on September 14 as per schedule. sees a gap of 9 days between the third and the fourth Test. In case, these gaps had been lessened, BCCI would have had a clear September window for remainder of IPL 2021.
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However, as per the latest report carried by a media agency, ECB has already decided not to make any changes in the schedule. Therefore, according to a BCCI source the cricket governing body of India didn't make any formal request.
“There is no chance of ECB acceding to BCCI’s request of shifting the dates of the Test series. Since they have made their stand point clear informally, I don’t think there is any point of making a formal request,” a senior BCCI source said as quoted by PTI.
“The ECB have their inaugural ‘Hundred’ from July 24 to August 21. Their broadcast deals and everything is in place. So there is no chance of any shift happening,” the source added.
Now, in such a case, the only window that BCCI is left with is from September 15 to October 15. If reports are to be believed, the apex cricket body of India has already initiated talks to conduct the mega event in the given time frame in UAE.