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It has been a busy schedule for the Indian players this year. After a long tour to South Africa in December-January, they played a home series against West Indies and Sri Lanka in subsequent months as well. Then the players had to shift their base early in the respective team camps for the Indian Premier League.
The Indian team is scheduled to play the 5-match T20I series against South Africa on the home soil, after the IPL gets concluded on May 29. A window of only 11 days has been given for the players featuring in the IPL 2022 Final. Hence, it might be possible that the players opt to take a rest in this series. This list is expected to include the senior players like Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli, KL Rahul, Rishabh Pant, Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammed Shami, and Ravindra Jadeja.
A source close to the BCCI has given a hint of some of them taking a break and termed it as a necessary step for them.
“There are five T20 Internationals between June 9 to 19 in five cities. Obviously, all the players won’t be playing all the games. Some might be given total rest, and some might play a few games. If these guys aren’t given systemic breaks, it will only harm them. But obviously, the duration of break will be decided by selectors after talking to head coach (Rahul Dravid)," the source added.
After the decision to allow 100% capacity of crowds in the IPL Playoffs at Kolkata and Ahmedabad, the BCCI is soon expected to announce the lifting of bio-bubble-related protocols and hard quarantine for the South Africa series as well.
“If all goes well and things remain in control like it is right now, there will be no bio-bubbles and hard quarantine during the home series against South Africa. Then we are going to Ireland and England and there won’t be any bio-bubble in those countries too," a senior BCCI official told PTI.
After this tour, the players will travel to England as well, wherein they will play a one-off test and a T20I series as well. It is of paramount importance that the players are provided an adequate rest, with the Asia Cup and T20 World Cup scheduled later in the year.