‘Ye badi acchi baat kahi aapne’ – Twitter elated as Indian Cricket Board plans meet with Indian T20 League teams for workload management

The Indian Cricket Board plans to meet with the Indian T20 League franchises before the tournament’s 16th edition to monitor the players’ workload ahead of the 50-over World Cup in India in October-November.

The Board stated that the National Cricket Academy (NCA) “will work in tandem with the IPL franchises to monitor the targeted Indian players participating in the IPL 2023” during its review meeting with Team India management on New Year’s Day.

According to sources, the meeting will brief the franchises on how the NCA intends to monitor the players’ fitness. The recent spate of player injuries compelled the Board to take such action. While Ravindra Jadeja is expected to play in the upcoming Test series against Australia next month, Jasprit Bumrah’s availability remains uncertain.

Bumrah, India’s top fast bowler, has resumed bowling after missing the ODI and T20I series against Sri Lanka and New Zealand, but he has not been selected for the first two Tests against Australia.

However, the franchises are unsure how the pool of 20 cricketers chosen for the showpiece event will be monitored. In the past, franchises have refused to share certain data on workload management with the NCA, even though they have shared medical reports.

“There’s nothing official about it. The BCCI hasn’t told us anything. It wouldn’t be proper to make a comment on the basis of media reports,” the Kolkata team’s chief executive Venky Mysore said. “The BCCI cannot direct a franchise to rest a player unless he is unfit. After all, the players have a contract with the franchises,” a franchise official said. “The franchises also hire physios and masseurs who have worked with national teams earlier and so there’s nothing to panic for the BCCI.”

Last year, Sunil Gavaskar questioned the players’ commitment on their decision to skip national duty and play in the cash-rich tournament. The franchises’ meeting with the Board may help to dispel any doubts, though the team owners are unlikely to agree to any cap on players’ workload.

Here is how Twitter reacted