Reports: BCCI thinking to hold a camp for contracted players in Dubai

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is working hard to organise the Indian Premier League (IPL) this year. The tournament was supposed to take place in March but it was postponed indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic. BCCI is reportedly pondering to stage the 13th IPL season in September-October window provided the T20 World Cup is postponed.

At the same time, the board is also keen on assessing the fitness of the contracted players who are expected to tour Australia in December. For the same reason, the BCCI is planning to hold a camp for them in Dubai with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) emerging as the first-choice country to host the IPL.

Earlier, it was reported that with three stadiums in the city, Mumbai may also host the T20 extravaganza. But the current situation in the country’s financial capital is worse due to the pandemic.

Six-week training camp before start of any series for the players

According to the reports in the New Indian Express, the team management wants the players to train for around six weeks before taking part in any series. India haven’t played any cricket since the New Zealand tour and the bowling coach Bharat Arun had earlier cleared that the bowlers especially will need time to get back to the groove in terms of match fitness as well.

“By the looks of it, UAE will mostly host the IPL, unless the situation improves dramatically in Mumbai. So the camp there makes more sense in every way possible. Once the IPL venue is decided, then expect things to move forward quickly,” the sources close to the development said.

Meanwhile, the franchises would also want their players to attend their respective camps before the start of the IPL. In that case, logistically, it looks tough for the BCCI to hold a national camp for a longer period. There are also indications that the support staff might stay in the UAE to keep an eye on the team India players’ fitness and progress when they train with their franchises ahead of the IPL.