ECB Chief Denies Support To ICC's Proposed Future Tours Programme

ECB’s recent decision to deny their support to ICC’s proposed FTP will give India’s governing body, Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) a much needed shot in the arm. It has been learnt that ECB chairman Colin Graves had officially informed international cricket body, ICC that it will not support the global body’s proposal to have a marquee event each year from 2023 to 2031.

With BCCI and Cricket Australia already opposing the bid, the ICC may now face severe hindrance on the issue. “ECB is not in a position to support the current proposal for ICC events from 2023-2031,” ECB chairman Colin Graves wrote in an email (in possession of news agency PTI) to ICC Chief Executive Manu Sawhney.

The global cricket body in its recent meeting in Dubai proposed that in the next Futures Tours and Programme (FTP) Cycle for the eight-year period between 2023 and 2031, there would be many flagship events namely two 50 over World Cups, four T20 World Cup, and two more multi-nation tournaments in order to make it eight events in eight years.

ECB chief explains why RCB will not support the proposal:

ECB chief Graves openly made 3 specific points as to why England Cricket Board will not be able to back the proposal. Graves elaborated the three points in detail i.e. first, their own bilateral agreements will be compromised and then there is a lot of concern about workload and health of their players and the last one is that the extra ICC event in a specific year will make ICC World Test Championship final less enjoyable.

“The impact of the proposed schedule on ICC events on bilateral cricket is a serious concern for the ECB. The proposed schedule risks compromising the time available and thus value and integrity of the bilateral cricket calendar for all member boards,” Graves wrote in his communications to Sawhney.

Graves had specifically mentioned that “increased frequency of ICC world championship” will sabotage it further. “ECB cannot support a schedule where our best players need to play more than they currently do. Players’ welfare is a primary concern to the ECB and current proposal requires that international players are likely to have fewer days to prepare and rest,” he added.

“ECB cannot support a proposal that seeks to play an additional ICC Men’s event in a year where the ICC Men’s World Test Championship is scheduled as it risks devaluing World Test Championship and future health of Test cricket,” Graves said.