'Too many matches': BCCI admits packed schedule is a challenge, plans better FTP
· Yahoo Sports
The BCCI will look to ensure Indian cricketers get enough rest, time to acclimatise and practice matches before major series in SENA countries, secretary Devajit Saikia said on Thursday.
Saikia was speaking after a review meeting at the BCCI headquarters, which discussed India's recent performances and the team's plans for the next year.
He said there was no communication gap within Indian cricket on injury management, but acknowledged that the Future Tours Programme (FTP) could be planned better to give players more time to prepare.
“Everybody is on the same page. BCCI is working in a very well like a well oiled engine," Saikia told reporters.
"There is proper coordination amongst all the wings of BCCI, whether it is women's teams committees or their technical staff or their coaches, vis-a-vis the COE, vis-a-vis the Indian men's team’s coaching staff and the head coach. There is no difficulty in the coordination, everything is moving in the right direction.”
Saikia said the number of matches being played in a year remains the main challenge for the board.
“The only challenge which we are facing is that there are too many matches in the year and that is why in the next FTP we will do certain things, we will take certain measures.
“We have instructed our FTP persons who will be meeting very soon in various international forums that our FTP should be in such a way it should be scheduled that there is proper rest for the players as well as some kind of acclimatisation or some kind of friendly matches before any major series in SENA countries (South Africa, Australia, England and New Zealand),” Saikia added.
The meeting was attended by India Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill, T20I captain Shreyas Iyer, head coach Gautam Gambhir, director of cricket at the Centre of Excellence VVS Laxman and other BCCI officials. Selection committee chairman Ajit Agarkar could not join the meeting, even through video conferencing.
Saikia said the meeting covered India's performances in England and Ireland and the team's plans for the next year.
“We discussed (about) our team performed in England and Ireland and also about what we are going to do about the next one year. The road map has been prepared and we will be doing some exercises so that we have a very good performance in 2027 (ODI) World Cup,” Saikia added.
He also acknowledged that India had not done well on their limited-overs tours of Ireland and England. Saikia said the team needed to do some “soul searching”, while adding that a strategy had been “chalked out” in that regard.
India lost the two-match T20I series against Ireland 0-2 before losing the T20I series against England 1-4 and the three-match ODI series 1-2.
Saikia was speaking after a review meeting at the BCCI headquarters, which discussed India's recent performances and the team's plans for the next year.
He said there was no communication gap within Indian cricket on injury management, but acknowledged that the Future Tours Programme (FTP) could be planned better to give players more time to prepare.
“Everybody is on the same page. BCCI is working in a very well like a well oiled engine," Saikia told reporters.
"There is proper coordination amongst all the wings of BCCI, whether it is women's teams committees or their technical staff or their coaches, vis-a-vis the COE, vis-a-vis the Indian men's team’s coaching staff and the head coach. There is no difficulty in the coordination, everything is moving in the right direction.”
Saikia said the number of matches being played in a year remains the main challenge for the board.
“The only challenge which we are facing is that there are too many matches in the year and that is why in the next FTP we will do certain things, we will take certain measures.
“We have instructed our FTP persons who will be meeting very soon in various international forums that our FTP should be in such a way it should be scheduled that there is proper rest for the players as well as some kind of acclimatisation or some kind of friendly matches before any major series in SENA countries (South Africa, Australia, England and New Zealand),” Saikia added.
The meeting was attended by India Test and ODI captain Shubman Gill, T20I captain Shreyas Iyer, head coach Gautam Gambhir, director of cricket at the Centre of Excellence VVS Laxman and other BCCI officials. Selection committee chairman Ajit Agarkar could not join the meeting, even through video conferencing.
Saikia said the meeting covered India's performances in England and Ireland and the team's plans for the next year.
“We discussed (about) our team performed in England and Ireland and also about what we are going to do about the next one year. The road map has been prepared and we will be doing some exercises so that we have a very good performance in 2027 (ODI) World Cup,” Saikia added.
He also acknowledged that India had not done well on their limited-overs tours of Ireland and England. Saikia said the team needed to do some “soul searching”, while adding that a strategy had been “chalked out” in that regard.
India lost the two-match T20I series against Ireland 0-2 before losing the T20I series against England 1-4 and the three-match ODI series 1-2.
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