The Cricket Council of England and Wales (ECB) flatly refused to accept a motion from the Cricket Control Council of India (BCCI) to postpone a series of five tests from August to September. The ECB said a series of five tests would proceed as planned.
"We speak regularly with the BCCI on a variety of topics, particularly those related to the Covid-19 challenge, but have not received an official request to change dates and continue to schedule five test series as planned." The UK council spokesman said late Thursday (19 May).
Indian and British media stood against the background with reports of BCCI's request to continue the fifth Old Trafford test from the second to fourth week of July. The BCCI request reportedly opens a window for the Indian Premier League (IPL) which was not completed in September. Five tests were originally scheduled to take place from 4 August to 14 September at Nottingham, Lords, Leeds, Oval and Old Trafford.
"The Cricket Supervisory Board in India has inquired about the possibility of postponing England's final summer tests to make way for a postponed Indian Premier League conclusion. Informal discussions between the respective councils have taken place as cricket has a broken schedule from Kovid.
"The request puts the ECB in a difficult position, between the degree of wanting to maintain good relations with the most powerful cricket nation and being as flexible and useful as possible in the face of postponement of the most profitable game competitions - affecting them to have a carefully planned internal schedule. "At this final stage, it is difficult to see the ECB joining in with the possibility of change and is expected to maintain its position," a Times of London report read in a number of media reports published in India and the UK.
The BCCI has been silent since the report emerged Thursday morning. its employees flatly declined to comment.
