Grind At Home

The Board for Control of Cricket in India (BCCI)'s decision to force some of the Indian cricketers scheduled to tour Pakistan for the upcoming away series, to play in Ranji Trophy matches at the expense of a tour match in Pakistan, is astonishing. The players have been selected for the tour after considering their domestic performances. A warm-up match in Pakistan would have been ideal to mould these players into the right groove for the long away series ahead. But instead, some of them will be required to remain in the country, detached from their national teammates. The match fitness of the players could have been judged in the tour match itself, against the likes of Hasan Raza, Bazid Khan, Asim Kamal, Umer Gul, among others. Parthiv Patel was reportedly ill and Sourav Ganguly opted out for Bengal's last Ranji match against Gujarat due to personal reasons. At least Ganguly, who was supposedly otherwise fit, should have been directed immediately after the squad selection for the Pakistan tour, to make himself available for the match, instead of creating this unnecessary and illogical furore now.