ENG vs IND | Pointing fingers at IPL unfair, says ECB CEO after cancellation of Manchester Test with Covid-19 concerns

Quashing out all the rumours regarding the cancellation of the fifth Test in Manchester and its IPL 2021 connection, ECB CEO Tom Harrison has said that BCCI gave their best in trying to ensure that the Test match goes as per the schedule. 

"Hopefully we can get this Test on some other time, but it won't be the same as it having the conclusion after four brilliant matches. The BCCI, this India team and their captain want to make their mark in Test cricket. I don't think the IPL should worry people who feel there is an agenda is at place here," ECB chief executive Tom Harrison was quoted as saying by BBC.

"I was on the phone all night. Once those fears creep in they can be very hard to shift. There are no winners in this one. 100% of the BCCI wanted to get this game on. There is a strong relationship between the ECB and BCCI. We will definitely come through this, probably even stronger than we went in. 

"The outcome of this game is not one for today. Thoughts will turn to that soon. It is a decision for the ICC in the context of the World Test Championship. It's not something that concerns us unduly. We expect the people in place to make those decisions will make them," Harrison added.

Further, Harrison clarified that any rescheduled match will be a "standalone match" and will have no relation to the series which was brought to an abrupt end, after four of India's support staff including head coach Ravi Shastri tested positive for Covid-19. 

"Any rescheduled match would be a standalone match," the ECB CEO told Sky Sports.