India’s head coach Ravi Shastri has hinted that two Indian teams playing different formats is the way forward. The International schedule of the Indian team is always hectic and it is crucial for the team management to manage the workload of the players.
Furthermore, during the Covid-19 era, with the quarantine process and travel restrictions, it makes it difficult for the cricket boards to have one particular team playing in all the formats. Indian team has left for the tour of England in which they will play the WTC final against New Zealand and then they will play a five-match Test series against the hosts.
On the other hand, a different limited overs team will tour Sri Lanka for three ODIs and as many T20Is with Rahul Dravid expected to be the head coach.
“Playing with two squads in different locations regularly is a possibility in the long run,” Shastri said in the pre-departure press conference.
“Well you never know. At the moment it’s happening because of the current situation and restrictions on travel and things of that sort. But you never know. In the future if you want to expand the game, especially in the shorter formats, then it could be the way to go,” said Shastri.
“You know, why not, when you have that much volume of cricketers and if you want to spread the T20 game across the globe, then that could be the way ahead because if you’re talking of Olympics in four years or eight years” time, you need more countries to play the game. So that could be a way forward,” he added.
On the other hand, the Indian skipper Virat Kohli also chimed in with similar opinion and stated that it is difficult to keep the players motivated and the two teams for different formats could be the way forward.
“With the current structure and the kind of structure that you’re competing inside for a long period of time, it’s very difficult for the players to stay motivated and find the right kind of mental space,” said Kohli.
“You know, just confined in one area and just doing the stuff, day in day out when you’re dealing with high pressure situations. So, this (two squads) will definitely become a norm for the future,” he added.
The final of the World Test Championship between India and New Zealand is set to be played in Southampton from June 18.
