Uncertainty over India Women’s next tour grows as BCCI set to postpone Aus tour
India Women’s proposed tour of Australia in 2021 is set to be postponed by BCCI which extends the uncertainty over the team’s international schedule since the cancellation of the England tour in July. If the Australian tour is indeed postponed, then the Indian women will remain out of action for almost over ten months with their final match being the T20 World cup final against Australia.
Earlier in May, Cricket Australia had announced that they would host India for a three match ODI series as a part of the build-up to the 50 over World Cup to be played in 2021 in New Zealand. However, the World Cup has been postponed to 2022 owing to the covid-19 pandemic.
A cricket.com.au article last week stated: “Australia’s next international engagement remains up in the air, with no confirmation that a planned three-game ODI series against India – scheduled as preparation for the now-delayed World Cup – will go ahead in January.”
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India’s next international assignment can be against Sri Lanka, if the two boards agree on a bilateral series to take place. A home series against South Africa in April or May is also being considered. The BCCI had hosted the IPL along with the Women’s T20 Challenge in UAE. The men’s team is currently on the Australian tour and they are set to host England in February. However, in spite of the recent developments in the men’s international schedule, there has been no word on the women’s schedule.
Shanta Rangaswamy, former Indian captain and current member of the BCCI’s apex council stressed that the board had to consider the financial investment to host team amidst the pandemic.
“If a bio-bubble can be created for the England men’s team, they can do it for a women’s team also,” Rangaswamy told ESPNcricinfo. “But it will be an expensive affair – creation of bio-bubbles. So, they will look at the economics of it before taking a call. But I’m positive that the BCCI office-bearers will not hesitate to spend on the development of the game.”
Rangaswamy stated that she was hopeful that after the completion of Mustaq Ali tournament, women’s domestic season might also begin soon. “In our last apex council meeting, we had suggested that both the senior women’s and the age-group tournaments be staged around that time [early February],” Rangaswamy said. “Hopefully the pandemic wouldn’t set us back any further on the execution of those plans because the caseload in India is so high you can’t risk players’ safety.”