Don't play the Asia Cup, says angry Virender Sehwag over its poor scheduling

Virender Sehwag has lashed out at the timetable of the upcoming Asia Cup in which only Team India is scheduled to play back-to-back matches. The tournament will commence on September 15 with the game between Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. But India will play their first game on 18th against the qualifying team and then will face their arch-rivals Pakistan on the very next day. This is what has irked Sehwag as he feels that India should not play in the Asia Cup now.

The Asia Cup has been hastily arranged it seems with India’s ongoing England tour to end on September 11. Few of the players in the whites are also the part of the ODI side which means that there will be very less recovery time for them after returning from the gruelling tour.

Moreover, if they have to play 2 matches in as many days then it will also take a toll on the cricketers. The searing heat in the United Arab Emirates will make things worse for them.

I am really shocked

Virender Sehwag, while speaking to India TV, was extremely disappointed with Team India playing back to back games. He also went on to say that the players will be tired while facing Pakistan who will be coming into the game after resting for a couple of days.

“I am really shocked to see the scheduling because which country plays back-to-back cricket matches these days? There was a gap of two days in between the T20 matches in England and here you are playing ODIs under hot Dubai weather and that too without a break. So, I don’t think this is a correct scheduling,” he said.

Why there’s such hue and cry over playing the Asia Cup?

He also believed that the Men in Green will definitely have an advantage against India as they will be fresh compared to the Virat Kohli‘s troops.

When Team India will play the Asia Cup in Dubai in September, there will be too much heat and it will hamper the players’ recovery process. Pakistan will be in a good shape whereas the Indian players will be tired. And if we end up losing the match, then there might be a problem as we all are very passionate whenever we play against Pakistan. We always want India to win against Pakistan but if the Indian players are tired then Pakistan will definitely have the advantage,” he added.

The 39-year-old was so angry over the scheduling of the tournament that he also went on to say that India shouldn’t play the Asia Cup. “Why there’s such hue and cry over playing the Asia Cup? Don’t play the Asia Cup. Prepare the team for the home series or the away series. It’s really difficult to play back-to-back games,” he concluded.

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