Following the postponement of the white-ball bilateral series against Bangladesh, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has initiated discussions with multiple cricket boards to arrange a bilateral series.
The BCCI is yet to decide on whether to settle for a bilateral series or conduct a tri-nation tournament at a neutral venue.
“There have generally been discussions with a few cricket boards, but it would all depend on the government’s decision on the Asia Cup,” said the developments.
The biggest threat to the Asia Cup is the relationship between India and Pakistan following border tensions earlier this year.
The Indian government recently granting clearance for the Pakistan hockey team to participate in the upcoming Asia Cup in Rajgir and the FIH Men’s Junior World Cup in Tamil Nadu, the BCCI might have to settle for a bilateral series in August.
“Now with no Bangladesh series, there is a long gap and the BCCI wants to ensure that the players have game time, and that’s why a new limited-overs series is being explored,” the source indicated.
The Asian Cricket Council (ACC) is expected to decide on the future of the Asia Cup during its meeting in Dhaka on July 24.
However, the prevailing political tensions in Bangladesh which was also one of the reasons behind the postponement of the series. It is uncertain whether the BCCI will send their officials to Dhaka for the meeting or requests for a change in venue.
Rajeev Shukla and Ashish Shelar are the BCCI’s representatives in the Asian Cricket Council (ACC). The BCCI vice-president Rajiv Shukla is in the Board of Directos, and Shelar, former treasurer of the BCCI, is an Executive Board Member of the Continental body.
The Indian team were set to play three ODIs and T20Is against the Bangladesh, but the postponement has left the Men in Blues with no ODI tour scheduled till October.
India will be touring Australia to play three match ODI series and five match T20I series where the stalwarts like Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli likely to make their last appearance in international cricket as both quit from T20I and Test Cricket.
