Fresh memories of a bruising UK tour which laid bare the cost of inadequate preparation for the Men in Blue have barely faded when Indian cricket finds itself in another logjam which could cost it dearly in New Zealand. The problem this time around is an intensely packed schedule which could compromise either the momentum of the white-ballers or the red-ballers.
A five-match T20I series beginning on October 22, followed by a five-match ODI series starting November 4 and a Test series beginning in Wellington on November 19 means there is barely any room for error. Only four days separate the conclusion of the fifth ODI match from the opening Test match, with no warm-up games or provincial matches to fill the gap between the two formats.
India's Captaincy Crisis In Between: Shreyas Iyer vs Shubman Gill
The main reason behind the crisis is the player crossover. As per Dainik Jagran, a chunk of multi-format mainstays like captain Shubman Gill, KL Rahul, Nitish Kumar Reddy, Prasidh Krishna, Jasprit Bumrah, Kuldeep Yadav, and Mohammed Siraj are expected to play a significant role in the ODIs before shifting gears and joining the Test setup directly.
For a team that is eyeing crucial World Test Championship (WTC) points, it's essential to prepare in advance for the red-ball format. But getting these big guns in early will deny the ODI squad their best XI at the crucial juncture of the series, which is also a build-up to next year's ODI World Cup.
With such a dilemma at hand, the BCCI is reportedly working on a damage-control operation, with the coaching staff split into two groups. While a few members will stay back in Mount Maunganui to wind up the final two ODIs, others will head to Wellington to start preparing the Test unit in advance.
Meanwhile, with Shubman Gill set to depart early and other red-ball specialists expected to join the camp, Shreyas Iyer can be entrusted with skipper duties for the last two ODIs.
A Recurring Headache
Though splitting the support staff and getting a chunk of the squad to Wellington ahead of time might seem like a good idea, it spotlights a scheduling headache that plagues the Indian team now and then.
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The tour organizers could have taken a few extra days off between the white-ball and the red-ball leg or could have arranged the fixtures in the alternate block (ODIs-T20s-Tests). In any case, the itinerary is out of the hands of the board now.
It's a matter of routine that the Indian cricket team finds itself in a fix due to a lack of consultation with the team management before finalizing fixtures. As the Men In Blue move from one transition to the other, the New Zealand trip will yet again showcase how the Indian team deals with its own calendar.