India ‘A’ tour during Ranji season with U19 World Cup going on makes no sense, says Sunil Gavaskar
Sunil Gavaskar has questioned the need for the India A team to be on a shadow tour of New Zealand with the Ranji Trophy and the U19 World Cup going on. The former captain has also pointed out that no other team does the same if the domestic season is on and that is never the case during the IPL.
With the U-19 World Cup underway in South Africa, Ranji teams are already deprived of their promising players as they bid to make it to the knockout stages. And with another set of youngsters on tour in New Zealand besides the national team, many state teams are left severely weakened.
“That the national championship doesn't mean much has been clear for a few years now that the IPL is here and it's been emphasized once again by the way the Ranji Trophy has been devalued with the best talent out of the country. One can understand the national team being out as it's a bilateral commitment in line with the ICC FTP but to have the India A team also out touring at the same time means that most Ranji Trophy teams are well below strength," Gavaskar wrote in his column for Mid-day.
"There is the ICC under-19 World Cup going on too, so a host of promising youngsters who bring in excitement and fresh energy and outlook are not playing the national championship at a time when their state teams need them to qualify for the knockouts,” Gavaskar noted.
The argument for having a shadow tour is to have backup options ready and well-suited to the away conditions in case of an injury to a member in the main squad. However, Gavaskar calls this argument out, while also pointing out that no other team follows such a tradition while their domestic season is on.
"The argument that having an 'A' team touring the country where the national team is playing makes it easy for any replacements who will be ready and acclimatised if needed by injury to the senior team is a specious argument," Gavaskar wrote.
"Look at the programme of the 'A' teams of other countries and you will find that they tour overseas only when their domestic season is not on. How come there is no 'A' tour or under-19 tour during the two months of the IPL?” Gavaskar added.
