BCCI might cancel the domestic season according to sources

While cricket lovers in the country might be rejoicing at the prospect of the Dream 11 IPL returning to the TV, laptop, and mobile screens, there might soon be some undesirable news for India’s cricketers who rely on domestic cricket. With no end in sight for the Coronavirus pandemic and the country reporting a record number of cases every day, the BCCI is mulling scrapping all domestic cricket for the season. 

While there has been no final decision yet taken by the BCCI, the TOI sources reportedly understand that the BCCI is thinking on such lines. "In certain states, it's bad. In other states, it's worse. The numbers are unrelenting. In such a scenario, how does one plan anything over a period of three or four months, when you're not sure what's in store tomorrow,” said the source reportedly.

Add to the intensity of the pandemic, the geographical size, and the number of states which the BCCI would need to seek clearances from, and the whole situation becomes further of a logistical nightmare. "First, the state government permissions would be required. Then the city-specific municipalities will need to give a go-ahead. And even if that happens, preparing a bio-secure bubble for 37 Ranji teams, five Duleep Trophy teams, and the several other domestic teams would be next to impossible. Travel and accommodation will be another concern. It's not feasible,” the source is supposed to have added.

The situation might appear bleak for the country’s domestic challenge, but with the growing rage with which the pandemic is spreading in India, the BCCI’s hands seem to be tied. The tournaments which are under threat of cancellation would include premier domestic tournaments such as the Ranji Trophy, the Duleep Trophy, the Vijay Hazare, the Syed Mushtaq Ali tournaments at the senior level, as well as various age-group tournaments.

[TOI inputs]