Former IPL Chairman Rajeev Shukla on Friday backed India captain Virat Kohli over his criticism of Indian team schedule and pulled up Committee of Administrators (CoA) for poor scheduling. Shukla’s remarks came just a day after Kohli addressed the difficulties faced by the team due to tight scheduling of tournaments. Team India had to leave for New Zealand the very next day they played their last ODI against Australia in Bengaluru.
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At the press conference before the first T20I against New Zealand, Kohli said: “It’s getting closer and closer to landing at the stadium straight. That’s how compressed the gap has become. This kind of traveling to a place that is seven and a half hours ahead of IST is difficult to adjust immediately.”
He added: “Hopefully, this will be taken into consideration in the future. But this is the year of the World Cup and every T20 is important. So we can’t lose our focus.”
{{/usCountry}}He added: “Hopefully, this will be taken into consideration in the future. But this is the year of the World Cup and every T20 is important. So we can’t lose our focus.”
{{/usCountry}}In a tweet, Shukla backed Kohli and said: I agree with @imVkohli that calendar is too hectic. There should not be back to back matches and series as well. Players must get some rest and also enough time to get acclimatised.”
He added: “COA should have kept this in mind before finalising the schedule.”
India will play five T20Is, three ODIs and two Tests against New Zealand, with the curtain-raiser taking place in Auckland on Friday.