'Length of tours should be considered', says Virat Kohli
What's the story
After the completion of Indian Premier League, the Indian contingent will travel to Australia for a two-month long tour. As per the schedule, the tour will begin from the white-ball leg, followed by the four-Test series. Reflecting on the tour's length, Indian skipper Virat Kohli feels the "repetitive" nature of being in a bio-bubble due to COVID-19 pandemic can be mentally tough on cricketers.
Statement
'Moving from one bio-bubble to another gets repetitive'
Team India will board the flight to Australia right after the IPL ends, thereby moving from one bio-bubble to another. Speaking on Royal Challengers Bangalore's YouTube channel, Kohli said, "It's repetitive, it's not as tough when the group of guys is amazing, which we have." "Everyone part of that bio-bubble is really nice, the vibe has been so good," he added.
Fatigue
Why is Kohli asking to keep a check on scheduling?
According to the Indian squad announced by the BCCI for Australian tour, most of the team members are competing in the IPL. They have been in the bio-bubble of UAE since August. After this, the Australian tour will span till January, which completely cuts off the players from outside world. Hence, Kohli asserted the scheduling has to factor in the mental fatigue of players.
Information
Kohli raised a similar issue in 2017
This is not the first time the Indian captain has voiced opinion on better scheduling. In 2017, Kohli raised concerns when Team India played back-to-back cricket and had little time to prepare for the South African tour. Even former captain MS Dhoni supported his concern.
Tour
Team India to arrive in Sydney on November 12
For the forthcoming Australian tour, the Indian contingent will arrive in Sydney on November 12. They will undergo a 14-day quarantine upon reaching Sydney. The likes of Cheteshwar Pujara and Hanuma Vihari, who are already in Australia, will be joined by the rest. Notably, Team India has been permitted by the New South Wales (NSW) government to train in groups during their quarantine.
Schedule
Australia vs India: A look at the schedule
The three-ODI series will commence on November 27, followed by matches on November 29 and December 2. Meanwhile, the three T20Is will be held on December 4, 6 and 8. The opening Test in Adelaide will begin on December 17, India's first pink-ball Test overseas. Besides, MCG (December 26-30), SCG (January 7-11) and Adelaide Oval (January 15-19) will host the next three Tests.