India's Request To England To Reschedule The Tests For Accommodating IPL Will Test The Closeness The Two Boards Enjoy: Harsha Bhogle

Renowned cricket commentator Harsha Bhogle has given his take on the interesting relationship between England Cricket Board and the BCCI. Even as India has a busy international season ahead, consisting of ICC World Test Championship final against New Zealand, five Tests against England, clashing with a limited-overs tour of Sri Lanka and finally the T20 World Cup, the BCCI also the priority to complete IPL 2021. With England offering to host the second phase of the tournament, Harsha Bhogle still feels it would be a tricky task for the BCCI.

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BCCI had no choice but to suspend IPL 2021 after a cluster of COVID-19 cases emerged within the bio-bubble. A handful of players tested positive for the virus across four franchises after 29 matches of the tournament, forcing the BCCI to postpone the competition to control the damage. A few days after the decision, England offered to host the second phase of the leg. The BCCI has taken the offer seriously, reportedly requesting the England & Wales cricket board to prepone the five-match Test series between India and England.

Rumours have stated that the BCCI wants the ECB to start the series in the last week of July instead of the 4th of August. As per the original schedule, Nottingham hosts the first game of the segment, with the series finale set to begin on the 10th of September in Manchester. Meanwhile, Harsha Bhogle believes that BCCI’s request to reschedule the Test series to fit in the IPL will test the closeness of the two boards. He reckons that the future holds some interesting times.

India's request to the @ECB_cricket to reschedule the tests to try and accommodate the 2nd half of the #IPL is going to test the close relationship the two boards enjoy. There will be a trade-off but it will be wonderful if a common path can be found. Interesting times ahead.

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) May 20, 2021

England is the spiritual home of Test cricket: Harsha Bhogle

Harsha Bhogle understands that most countries would not be keen on even reducing a Test and knows England is where people purchase tickets well in advance. He referred to the United Kingdom as the spiritual home of Test cricket; however, he remains confident that BCCI and ECB will settle on a win-win proposition.

With most other countries, even reducing a test wouldn't be a huge factor but England sells out test matches; it is the spiritual home of test cricket & tickets are bought well in advance. But I am fairly certain there will be a win-win proposition for @ECB_cricket & @bcci there

— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) May 20, 2021