Mumbai: Ever since the Indian Premier League (IPL) 2021 has been suspended indefinitely, there have been theories whether the BCCI will be able to find a window to finish the 14th edition and if it does recommence, which country will host is. Multiple media reports have stated that nations like England and Sri Lanka have made a bid to host the remaining matches. While it is still unclear whether the cash-rich league will restart later this year, BCCI President Sourav Ganguly stated that whatever the case maybe ‘it can't happen in India’.
When asked if the shortened season could be completed in England after the World Test Championship final and the before the beginning of the five-Test series in the UK, Ganguly answered that the Indian team will travel to Sri Lanka for a limited-overs series, comprising three ODIs and five T20Is in July. “No. India is supposed to go to Sri Lanka for three ODIs and five T20Is. There are lots of organisational hazards like 14-day quarantine. It can't happen in India. This quarantine is tough to handle. Too early to say how we can find a slot to complete the IPL," Ganguly told Sportstar.
Apart from Sri Lanka, several English county clubs, naming Warwickshire, Surrey and Lancashire, have written to the England and Wales Cricket Board stating their readiness to host the remaining IPL matches in September.
ENGLAND PLAYERS TO SKIP REMAINDER OF IPL 2021
Even if the Indian cricket board has a hope to complete the IPL, possibly at an overseas location, the English board has put its foot down in favour of international cricket, ruling out the possibility of English cricketers playing in the league. "We're planning on the involvement of England players in England matches. We've got a full FTP schedule. So if those tours to Pakistan and Bangladesh (in September and October) are going ahead, I'd expect the players to be there," England men's director of cricket Ashley Giles told British media.
While the BCCI is planning for a window in September -- between the home series against India and the T20 World Cup or post T20 World Cup in November, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) wishes to follow the tight schedule as chalked out in the Future Tours Programme (FTP).
England play New Zealand in two Tests from June 2-14 in a series that was hastily arranged and Giles said the IPL players were permitted to skip the Test series as an exception since their IPL contracts were already official.
TOP INDIAN PLAYERS TO MISS LANKA TOUR
As India will depart to Sri Lanka in July for three ODIs and five T20Is, BCCI president on Sunday stated that the top players will miss the short tour. While the dates for the series is still unclear, Ganguly has confirmed that big names such as skipper Virat Kohli and vice-captain Rohit Sharma will miss the tour. Both Kohli and Rohit will be engaged in a marquee five-match Test series in England.
According to the ICC's Future Tours Programme (FTP), India are scheduled to play three T20Is in Sri Lanka in July., Ganguly confirming on the team segregation said that it will be a different side, which won't have anyone from the outfit that will be in the UK at that time.
