It’s too hot to handle: BCCI’s gamble in extreme temperatures could cost Indian cricket more than it gains
It is difficult to say how the ongoing Afghanistan series is helping Indian cricket. Wins don’t mean much against an opposing team like this. Personal milestones don’t matter either. But what makes it worse is that it is being held at a time when it is extremely hot in India. What happens if someone is infected and out for several months? Forget the months, what if someone misses the upcoming important white-ball series against England starting next month?
In the second ODI at the Ekana Cricket Stadium in Lucknow, there were several injury concerns. Darwish Rasouli The Afghanistan player injured himself while playing, and although he later limped to bat, he could not hold on for long and had to leave the field for the second time in the match. In such extreme heat, the body constantly loses water through sweat, and a dehydrated body is more susceptible to injury than a dehydrated body. It was Rasuli’s first ODI and how bad things were for him. Cut off thought.
India captain Shubman Gill He played a massive innings of 154 off 110 balls, but there was a time when he also started cramping for the same reason. Gill got back on his feet again after receiving some treatment, but he was never the same player again. He struggled to get runs and connect his shots correctly, and eventually came out playing a strange stroke. He did not come out on the field, and vice-captain Shreyas Iyer interfered in the break.
Ishan Kishan, the other centurion in the match, also struggled at the end of his innings. Now there is one more match left in Chennai on Saturday, which is another exciting venue. At this time of the year, a very large part of India is unbearable in terms of heat. The venue for the previous Test against Afghanistan – Dharamsala – is ideal at the moment, but it cannot host one match after another. In India, Dharamsala is the only proper stadium of international quality in cold climates. This whole tour should have been done another time. The BCCI hosted in June because for the rest of the year, they would have more important teams to deal with. This makes sense, but the moment you start thinking about the well-being of the players, it is no longer the case. There is nothing more important than the health of the players.
Non-stop cricket since February!
India has been playing non-stop cricket since February. They played and won the T20 World Cup. It must have been an exhausting experience even though they won in better weather conditions. Then came the final title race in the Indian Premier League (IPL) two long months in sweltering heat. Less than a week after it ended, the one-time test began. A few days later, India A began their 50-run hat-trick campaign in Sri Lanka. Then came the ODI series. Most of the Indian players who participated in the last few days have played in the Indian Premier League. There’s no way they couldn’t be tired.
So, one can see that there is a lot of cricket for Indian players. It’s not good. The BCCI should never be in a position where they have to organize these tours. There are two pitfalls in particular. Firstly, there can be injuries to players, to very important players. Additionally, the excess of cricket can make fans invincible. Fans need a break too. Imagine having to watch cricket in the middle of the FIFA World Cup. On many levels, BCCI got it wrong.
