Mumbai: There was a time when players enjoyed a proper break from international cricket during an off season.
These days, it’s a dream for cricketers, especially leading Indian stars.
Bilateral series, World championships every year in one format or the other, IPL, domestic T20 state-level competitions, global franchise leagues – the annual calendar is chock-a-block for Shubman Gill & Co.
So much so that Team India could very well feature in two international matches on the same day next month.
In a rare scheduling of cricket events, India will be playing a T20 International and an ODI on October 3.
In a bilateral series at home, India will be clashing with the West Indies in the third ODI at New Chandigarh’s Mullanpur stadium on that day.
It will clash with medal-round matches of the Asian Games men’s cricket competition in Japan, scheduled for October 3. Barring a massive upset, India will feature in either the third-place bronze medal playoff match or the final that day.
Team India, along with Pakistan, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, have been placed directly in the quarterfinals. Four teams from the preliminary rounds — featuring Afghanistan, Japan, Nepal, Malaysia, Hong Kong and Oman — will join them in the knockout last-eight stage.
The quarterfinal winners will progress to the semifinals, which is the medal round.
Such a clash wouldn’t normally happen as the itinerary is drawn up in coordination with International Cricket (ICC) and national boards.
However, events like Asian Games are not organised by the ICC or cricket boards of member countries.
That’s why a similar clash took place 28 years ago.
On September 12, 1998, India selected different teams for the Sahara Friendship Cup bilateral series against Pakistan in Toronto and the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur. Incidentally, both were ODI contests back then.
Mohammed Azharuddin was in charge of the Indian team in Toronto, while Ajay Jadeja led the Commonwealth Games squad. India flopped in both competitions, losing 1-4 to Pakistan in Canada and failing to make the semifinals in C’wealth Games.
This time, they will be hoping for better luck under the leadership of Shubman Gill (ODIs vs WI) and Shreyas Iyer (Asian Games).