BCCI, COA tussle ensures there was no 'recce' before Team India's UK tour

Team India is scheduled to play a couple of T20Is versus Ireland on June 27 and 29, which will mark the start of their tour of the United Kingdom. Thereafter, Virat Kohli and Co will embark on their journey of playing England in a three-match T20I, three-match T20I and five Tests from the first week of June. For the first time after 2007, 2011 and 2014, the Men in Blue will play limited overs cricket first before Tests.

However, this time around, they have missed on a customary and mandatory practice, named ‘Recce’, which is usually followed by every national team prior to a tour. Before a series, a couple of individuals appointed by the board inspects the overseas venues and other facilities to ensure that food, hotel, gym and other facilities are in place before the players land. Mayank Parikh, BCCI’s logistics in-charge, was supposed to travel Ireland and England.

However, it was learned that he was stopped by the authorities. Meanwhile, it is yet not known who exactly stopped his trip. More interestingly, none of the members of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are aware of why the inspection wasn’t conducted. The team is programmed to tour the UK today.

“I don’t remember taking a decision”- Vinod Rai

It also means that the players won’t know whether their requests and requirements have been worked upon or not. Team Manager Sunil Subramaniam got a tad agitated at being asked about the status of the practice. “Why are you asking me this question? I am the manager of the team. This does not pertain to me,” Subramaniam was quoted as saying by Mumbai Mirror.

Meanwhile, Vinod Rai, the chairman of Committee of Administrators (CoA) of the BCCI, also sounded bemused on the reasons behind the mishap. “I don’t remember taking a decision on that. We’ve inputs on the tour and addressing them but I don’t know why the recce was not done,” Vinod Rai, mentioned.

“A selector, logistical or an operations person traveling is understandable. But we saw no reason why he should be traveling to England. We’ve also asked CEO Rahul Johri not to visit England but that is only because we have a Supreme Court hearing on July 4,” Rai added while justifying the decision to veto acting secretary Amitabh Choudhary plan to travel England.

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