No decision yet on Chennai Test, says BCCI

Sabi Hussain

Tribune News Service

Mumbai, December 6

The Indian cricket board (BCCI) organised a sudden and unscheduled press conference at the Wankhede Stadium on Tuesday to announce “something urgent”. The sudden development caught the sports journalists, who were at the stadium to watch the practice sessions of India and England, by surprise. “Is the BCCI going to call off the series?” an English reporter asked a fellow scribe. “What’s the provocation for this presser?” asked another.

The mere announcement of a press conference led to such wild conjectures because BCCI secretary Ajay Shirke had told a national daily after the third Test in Mohali that the last two Tests in Mumbai and Chennai could be put off as the hosts associations — the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) and the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) — did not have enough funds. Shirke had also spoken about moving the Supreme Court to file an interim plea to allow BCCI to disburse funds to MCA and TNCA for hosting the Tests.

However, the press conference was organised to brief the mediapersons about the prevailing situation in Chennai on account of the demise of Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. The Tamil Nadu government has announced a seven-day mourning in the state and the fifth Test match is scheduled to be played at the MA Chidambaram Stadium from December 16 to 20.

Shirke said the BCCI was yet to decide on moving the Test to an alternate venue. “We haven’t taken any decision with regard to the Chennai Test,” he said.

“It’s a very sensitive decision. We are keeping a close watch on the situation. We are taking inputs from the local association and, based on it, the final decision will be taken,” said the BCCI secretary. 

“BCCI has got a number of alternate venues. In fact, there are now a couple of new venues, too. So there’s no problem in hosting the Test,” he added. TNCA has already expressed its inability to host the Ranji Trophy game between Odisha and Jharkhand due to the mourning, which ends on December 12. “The match will be rescheduled,” Shirke informed. When he was asked about the fate of the two Tests in case the Supreme Court refused to release funds, Shirke refrained from making any comments and walked away with a polite “thank you”.