Image Credit- BCCI
Nothing like this T20I series between Australia and
India to highlight the issues with the international cricket calendar. It is
crazy in and of itself to begin a five-match series four days after the ODI
World Cup final, but there was a precedent set just a year ago when England was
made to travel for a three-match ODI series against Australia four days after
winning the T20 World Cup.
Furthermore, haven’t these two teams competed against
one another enough this season? In February and March, they engaged in a
four-Test series in India, which was succeeded by a three-match ODI series.
Shortly after the IPL, in June, they participated in the World Test
Championship final. After that, in September, they participated in a second
three-match ODI series in India two weeks out from the ODI World Cup, where
they met at the start and the end of the tournament.
Not to add, in September of last year, the two teams
engaged in a three-match Twenty20 International series in India. The utterly
ridiculous scheduling of this series is further compounded by Australia’s
participation in the Ashes series and India’s interval Asia Cup and Asia Games
exploits.
But we’ll watch it because it’s on. With the exception
of Suryakumar Yadav, who will captain the team, Ishan Kishan, and Prasidh
Krishna—despite the fact that Kishan played just two games and Prasidh
none—India has, very rightly, rested almost its whole World Cup roster. Coach
Rahul Dravid is also absent from the series, with VVS Laxman taking command
after coaching the victorious Asain Games team, but Shreyas Iyer will make a
comeback for the final two games of the series after being rested for the first
three.
Even if there are many good reasons not to play this
series, the next T20 World Cup is less than six months away. These five games
are a part of the only 11 T20Is that both teams have scheduled before that
World Cup.
Even though Australia’s three-match ODI series against
England last year was pointless and took place days after the T20 World Cup, it
did provide Travis Head the chance to secure Australia’s ODI World Cup opening
position and gave Cummins the chance to captain the team for the first time. In
light of this, players from both teams have the chance to solidify their
positions in preparation for the T20 World Cup in 2019.