FTP for next two years should be reworked, opines Mohammad Azharuddin
Mohammad Azharuddin believes that the ICC Futures Tour Programme for the next couple of years might see a huge restructure, with a lot of games being cancelled due to coronavirus. Azharuddin has further added that if the Indian Premier League is slotted, the whole itinerary needs to be changed.
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought the world to a complete stand-still and there have been no sporting activities on offer. Not only has it disrupted the international calendar, putting the upcoming World T20 in doubt, but the IPL has also been massively impacted, with the tournament being on the verge of a potential cancellation for the year. In the wake of this, former Indian skipper Mohammad Azharuddin has stated that there might be a restructured FTP for two years because of so much uncertainty in prevailing circumstances.
"I am sure they can have a restructured FTP for two years because of so much uncertainty in prevailing circumstances. I mean you can always prepare for good times but you can't prepare for bad times. Once things settle down, we can have a dialogue with other member nations," the 57-year-old former skipper told PTI during an interaction.
"I think if they have to slot IPL, the whole itinerary needs to be changed. That's one option or else stick to the current itinerary with whatever gone being gone. But that means huge losses for all the stakeholders and is not practical," said Azharuddin, whose own Association hosts seven home games of Sunrisers Hyderabad. Therefore, I am expecting a complete overhaul of the FTP, if we have to fit in the IPL. I feel all the boards will agree as everybody is getting affected. But obviously the BCCI gets affected more," he added.
IPL pays a lot of bills, not only for the Indian cricketers but also for the foreign players who earn a huge chunk playing only for a few weeks. The likes of Eoin Morgan, Pat Cummins and Jos Buttler have spoken about having a shortened IPL at some point this year. The Hyderabadi believes that if the BCCI decides to host it at some point later this year, no one will say No to it.
"No one will say no to IPL. Not even the foreign players. So many people thrive on IPL. I don't think World T20's slot will be gone. It's third week of October and if things are okay by then, I would believe World T20 will happen. This is purely my personal opinion as you can't tinker with a World Cup. But obviously IPL will get accommodated in somewhere."For a lot of our domestic guys, who are not India regulars, let's accept they look forward to the IPL," the former Indian skipper added.
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