No question of stopping players to play county cricket, says CoA chief Vinod Rai

No question of stopping players to play county cricket, says CoA chief Vinod Rai

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Committee of Administrators head Vinod Rai has insisted that doing well in England is India's top priority and COA wouldn't stop players to play county cricket to prepare for the tour. Rai also confirmed that no player would be called from UK to participate in the one-off Test against Afghanistan.

India would be playing Afghanistan's inaugural Test match from 14th to 18th June, just one month ahead of their England tour, but Virat Kohli may not participate in the Test owing to his county commitment in Surrey. However, there have been speculations that the board has been putting pressure on the Indian team players to play against Afghanistan.

However, The Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (CoA) head Vinod Rai has made the board’s views clear on the participation of Virat Kohli or any other player in the one-off Test against Afghanistan. Rai has come out in favor of the Indian players and said that no player would be forced to play the single Test match against Afghanistan and stressed that doing well in England is their top priority. 

"Afghanistan is playing versus India and not Virat Kohli. No player (Cheteshwar Pujara especially) will be called back from UK to play versus Afghanistan. Priority is England and to do well there, so, whatever it takes," Rai told ANI.

He stated that it was CoA that encouraged the players to play in the county cricket and they won’t be changing their decision now. He revealed that the team that played Sri Lanka would be playing Afghanistan.  

"CoA has taken a conscious decision to encourage the players, especially Test specialists, to play county and hone their skills for the England series. No question of stopping them to play versus Afghanistan. The team that played in Sri Lanka will play versus Afghanistan," he said.

India didn't play any practice match against South Africa in their tour in last January and as a result, couldn't acclimatize to the conditions that were to offer in the African nation. And Rai stated that they won't repeat the same mistake once again.

"Will not repeat the same mistake that happened versus South Africa. The working committee of the BCCI is us, so doesn't matter what they say or think," Rai added.

India would be playing three T20Is, three ODIs and five Tests in England starting from July to September in the respective order.

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