BCCI could opt out of Boxing Day test match in South Africa
Boxing day Test under threat
What’s the story?
The relationship between the Board of Control for Cricket in India and Cricket South Africa has been uneasy ever since Haroon Lorgat assumed charge of the South African board. Back in 2013, India played only 2 Test matches in South Africa as N Srinivasan and Haroon Lorgat did not see each other eye to eye and even after the departure of Srinivasan from the BCCI, the frosty relationship has continued unabated.
As of now, the Indian board are not too keen to play either the Boxing Day Test or the New Year Test match; if they have their way, the first of the 4-match Test series will commence only after January 10. Also, the Indian board wants to schedule two practice matches before the Test series.
The details
If reports are to be believed, the Indian board is not too happy with Lorgat and the modus operandi he adopted while finalising the schedules for the Indian tour.
Also, the BCCI is not too pleased with the fact that despite staying at the same hotel during the Champions Trophy, Lorgat did not make any attempts to walk across with a proposal. Instead, he finalised the Australian tour first and then offered India its itinerary, which has only irked the Indian board.
The BCCI is not too keen on giving up the marquee clashes on both the Boxing day and New Year but if the current schedule is anything to go by, the series against Sri Lanka will only conclude on Christmas eve.
Hence, the BCCI is now agitated and is demanding two practice games before the Test series which will push the dates well after January 10.
In case you didn’t know...
The Indian team will arrive in South Africa in the last week of 2017 and the BCCI wants enough time for the time to acclimatise to the conditions before the tour comprising four Tests, five ODIs and two Twenty20 internationals commences.
What's next?
It would now be interesting to see if Haroon Lorgat bites the bullet and tweaks the itinerary to accommodate the India series for the two aforementioned dates, and also whether the BCCI is willing to accept the negotiations for the common good.
Author's Take
This situation could have been avoided had both the boards resolved their issues earlier. India is a prime target for all the countries to garner revenues and hence if the team does not feature on the marquee dates, it could well mean a huge loss to Cricket South Africa.