England cricket chief Tom Harrison said the resumption of the lucrative Indian Premier League had no role in the dramatic cancellation of the fifth Test between England and India on Friday.
The final game of an absorbing series was called off just two hours before the scheduled start at Old Trafford due to coronavirus concerns within the India camp after several positive tests among backroom staff.
The rescheduling of Tests is complicated by the lucrative Indian Premier League Twenty20 tournament, which resumes on September 19 in the United Arab Emirates.
The IPL, which started in India, was suspended earlier this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.
Former England captain Mike Atherton told sky game: “The real issue in the room is the IPL…. Players are concerned about their participation in it and the BCCI (Board of Control for Cricket in India) is undoubtedly concerned about that tournament.”
But the chief executive of the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) Harrison dismissed the association with the IPL.
“Let me be clear about that – I don’t think the IPL has anything to do with it,” he said. “This is not a situation that is created by a rescheduled IPL. I fundamentally don’t believe that for a second.”
The status of the Old Trafford match – and with it the fate of the series, which saw India lead 2-1 – appears uncertain as the ECB withdrew an initial statement that India had “forfeited” the game. .
Covid-19 is an acceptable reason for a match to be canceled under the rules of the World Test Championship if it has a significant impact on a team’s ability to field.
“I think we just have to take a breath and obviously do some work with the ICC (International Cricket Council) to formally give them a ruling on the outcome,” Harrison said.
“Obviously I think you would know that BCCI offered to reschedule the match, which is good news. I think at this point in time we look forward to making sure we can reschedule this match at some point in the near future.
“And then, we have separately the ICC decision whether this series is now complete and effectively needs to happen whether that fifth match is null and void or whether it is really considered something else, a seizure or something.”
Harrison said he does not believe the cancellations, which could have caused the ECB to lose millions of pounds in revenue, can be attributed solely to the coronavirus.
He said, “This is not a COVID cancellation. It is a match canceled due to serious concerns over the mental health and well being of a team.
“There is a difference, but it doesn’t matter with respect to ticket-buyers – they will be paid in full. It makes a difference in terms of the ECB balance sheet.”
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