Reports: India to field two teams simultaneously after addition of new series in packed schedule

With three new series to potentially be added to the already jampacked Indian calendar, the BCCI is likely to field two different teams at the same time. As per recent reports, India is set to face Ireland, West Indies and Zimbabwe besides the already scheduled assignments before the T20 World Cup to be hosted by Australia in October-November 2022.

The Indian team is also supposed to take part in another multi-nation tournament, the Asia Cup before they embark on their journey to the Australian shores for the World T20. Thus, a second-string team is more than likely to face up against Ireland and Zimbabwe.

As per TOI, the fifth and final Test match of India’s previously halted Test tour to England scheduled to be played in July shall clash with the one-off T20I to be played against Ireland. However, the official dates for the three new series are yet to be disclosed by the BCCI

“The discussions on bio-bubble breaks have already started. Every player has been communicated about the busy itinerary. They have been given time to think about when they would like to take a break. It’s likely a depleted side will travel to Zimbabwe. Ideally, the Asia Cup will be the right tournament to play the first team, in order to get combinations right before the T20 World Cup,” a BCCI official was quoted as saying by TOI.

Indian team to play Sri Lanka, South Africa and England in the coming months

India is currently gearing up to take on Sri Lanka in a three-match T20I series which will be followed by two Test matches. After the Test series, the Indian contingent will disperse and join their respective franchisees for the 2022 Indian Premier League to be played from the last week of March to May. Post the IPL, South Africa is scheduled to tour India for a five-match T20I series to be followed by India travelling to England.

If in fact a second-string Indian team steps out on the park to go up against Ireland and Zimbabwe, it would not be a first. In another very recent tour to Sri Lanka in 2021, Shikhar Dhawan led a second-string side as India’s first-choice team was on their Test assignment in England at the same time.

Going further back into history, 1998 was the first time India fielded two different teams simultaneously. While one team played in the Sahara Cup in Canada the other team represented their country at the Commonwealth Games being held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.