BCCI refuses ECB's Twenty20 request

The Indian cricket board has refused England's request to play Twenty20 international matches on its tour of India early next year. The ECB was keen for England to play Twenty20 matches in India, but India's board has rejected the proposal, because this form of cricket has not yet been played in India.

"ECB is anticipating that the England team will play three Tests and seven one-day internationals on next year's tour of India," said John Carr, ECB director of cricket operations, told the news agency IANS. "ECB's understanding is that BCCI is not in favour of the Indian team playing Twenty20 international matches." He also added, according to a report in the Khaleej Times, that all seven one-day internationals would played against India only - and not form part of a triangular series. "We hope to play seven straight ODIs against India," said Carr "We are expecting a draft itinerary from BCCI within a couple of weeks and both boards will be keen to promptly confirm the itinerary."

This is not the first time that the two boards have disagreed over proposed matches. In 2001, the ECB refused to play seven one-day internationals because its agreement with the BCCI, led by AC Muthiah at the time, had cited only five matches. After Jagmohan Dalmiya became BCCI president, he wanted England to play seven games on their tour. Eventually a compromise of six matches was reached and the series was drawn 3-3.

David Morgan, the ECB chairman, told IANS that he was discussing the 2006 tour's itinerary with Dalmiya despite him not being a BCCI office-bearer. "We anticipate the international matches being played from early to middle of March through to middle to late April," said Carr. He also said that a venue inspection team would visit India ahead of the series to inspect the arrangements. He said "It is ECB's standard practice to visit some or all the venues to be used for a tour. The timing of any such visit is to be confirmed."