'ICC's 10-yr programme is making things difficult'

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Thursday, January 1, 1970, 5:30 [IST]

Kolkata: A day after International Cricket Council (ICC) rejected the call of Test captains to reduce the number of Tests and One-dayers, Board of Control of Cricket in India president Jagmohan Dalmiya on Tuesday said the schedule was too tight and ICC's 10-year programme was making the situation difficult.

"I know the international schedule is too tight. Even the captains have voiced it during their interaction with the ICC on Monday," Dalmiya said at a press conference. The ICC on Monday turned down the appeal by Test captains on cutting down the number of international fixtures during the next five years. Dalmiya said the Indian board was aware of the problem faced by the players in this regard, but had no option other than going by the ICC schedule. "Whatever it is, you have to fulfil commitments," he said. The Indian team has a gruelling schedule in the run up to the World Cup in South Africa in February-March next year. Only two days after playing the fourth and final Test of the ongoing English tour on September 9, the Indians would leave for Sri Lanka for the ICC Champions Trophy. Soon after, the West Indies is scheduled to tour India from October 1 to November 24 before the Indians embark on a 44-day trip to New Zealand from December 3. The team leaves the Indian shores on January 31 to play the World Cup. "Definitely this schedule is no schedule. They (the Indians) are not even getting 24 hours rest. They are just touching the country after a foreign assignment before again setting out on another overseas trip," he said. Dalmiya said though the ICC programme required three Test matches for a particular series, the Boards often had to settle for more. He had tried to reason with the England and Welsh Cricket Board (ECB) to cut down the number of Tests in the ongoing series from four to three, he said, "But then everybody started concluding that I am anti-establishment." Asked whether the tight engagements would lead to a lot of stress factor before the World Cup, he said, "It would." The BCCI has, however, tried to give some relief to the players by convincing the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) to settle for three Tests and seven One-dayers instead of the originally scheduled five Tests and an equal number of Limited Over Internationals. Similarly, the BCCI convinced its New Zealand counterpart to agree to a schedule of two Tests and seven One-dayers instead of the earlier programme of three Tests and five One-dayers. "This will not only reduce the stress on the players but also help all the three countries to prepare well for the World Cup," Dalmiya said. Extras:
Kaif, Mongia stay in England, not to play Tests