Team management turned down BCCI’s offer to send core Test group to SA early 

TEAM INDIA’S management turned down the BCCI and the Supreme Court-appointed Committee of Administrators (COA)’s suggestion of sending the core players to South Africa a few weeks early.

Sources have reported that the board had even stated that top Test players could skip the limited-overs series against Sri Lanka and travel instead to South Africa. As reported by IndianExpress, a BCCI official divulged,

“The BCCI had offered Indian team management that the core group of Test team can be sent to South Africa early. Players like Murali Vijay, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane are not part of limited overs cricket and were playing local cricket here. The BCCI was ready to bear the cost but team management showed no interest and declined the offer. We were even ready to let top players skip ODI and T20 legs of the series against Sri Lanka.”

The Virat Kohli-led side also decided to cancel the scheduled practice game, opting instead for extra practice sessions. The team flew to South Africa on December 28 and the first Test started on January 5. Following the 72-run defeat in the opening Test, the decision of the management to not send core Test players in advance has become a talking point.

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