More T20Is likely to be in store for India in the new FTP

Team India will most likely have to deal with more number of T20 Internationals in their new Future Tour Programme (FTP) compared to the earlier one. They will have to play more matches as a result but in a bid to provide some relief to the players, the Indian board is looking to spread the games more evenly. However, the number of T20Is is likely to shoot up thrice the number they played in the earlier FTP during the period from 2019 to 2023.

The Indian skipper Virat Kohli and the coach Ravi Shastri had raised concerns over the hectic schedule of the team. He also expressed his view over the less preparation time for the overseas tours of South Africa, Australia, England and New Zealand. The captain stressed the requirement of more time in the away series in order to improve their record in the respective countries. Though they are set to play more in the upcoming FTP compared to the earlier one but BCCI is looking to sort things out ahead of the crucial SGM in the capital city on Monday.

Players would have to opt out

India played 36 Tests, 73 ODIs and 18 T20Is in the previous FTP and had to play an insignificant series against scheduled hastily which is currently in progress. However, they would have to play even more in the proposed new FTP which will have 37 Tests, 67 ODIs and 54 T20Is – a total of staggering 158 home and away international matches. Though according to the sources the games would be spread out evenly unlike the previous scheduling when they were cramped.

Surely, the new FTP is not suggesting that the board has taken care of the players’ workload. “You can’t play less and earn more. That is never going to happen. Even if the schedule is more evenly distributed, players’ workload would be more,” a source was quoted as saying by Cricbuzz who also added that the players would have to opt out of any series in case they feel overworked. BCCI is set to churn out more money with the scheduling of more number of T20Is which attract more spectators in Stadium and viewers on the television.