Series rescheduling: Gavaskar draws parallels with England’s 2008 comeback

The
fifth
Test
was
called-off
hours
before
its
start
on
Friday
(September
10)
after
a
COVID-19
outbreak
in
the
visiting
team’s
camp
which
made
the
Indian
players
reluctant
to
play
fearing
a
positive
result
might
lead
to
10-day
isolation
and
scheduling
nightmare
of
Indian
Premier
League
(IPL).

Both
the
Board
of
Control
for
Cricket
in
India
(BCCI)
and
England
and
Wales
Cricket
Board
(ECB)
officials
later
announced
that
the
match
will
be
rescheduled
at
a
later
date
as
a
one-off
game,
but
the
decision
is
yet
to
be
made
official
though.

While
lauding
the
decision,
Gavaskar
drew
parallels
with
England’s
gesture
after
the
2008
Mumbai
attacks.

India
vs
England
5th
Test:
The
Old
Trafford
Test
cancelled
due
to
Covid-19
scare

It
may
be
recalled
that
in
2008,
the
Kevin
Pietersen-led
side
had
to
fly
back
home
midway
due
to
the
terror
attacks
in
Mumbai
but
they
came
next
month
to
play
the
two-match
Test
series.

“Yes,
I
think
that
(rescheduling
the
cancelled
Test)
would
be
the
correct
thing
to
do.
Look,
we,
in
India,
should
never
forget
what
the
England
team
did
in
2008
after
the
horrific
attack,
the
26/11.
They
came
back,”
Gavaskar
was
quoted
as
saying
by
the
official
broadcaster
of
the
India
vs
England
series
—

Sony
Sports.

“They
would’ve
been
perfectly
entitled
to
say
‘we
don’t
feel
safe.
We
aren’t
coming
back’.”

The
visiting
England
team
was
playing
a
One-day
International
against
India
in
Cuttack
on
November
26
when
terrorists
attacked
Mumbai,
leading
to
the
cancellation
of
the
last
two
ODIs
of
the
seven-match
series.

Former
players
on
cancellation
of
Manchester
Test

England
headed
home
immediately,
but
later
returned
for
the
two
Test
series
which
India
won
1-0.
Gavaskar
said
that
the
then
skipper
Kevin
Pietersen
was
instrumental
in
England’s
decision
to
return
back
for
the
Test
matches.

“Never
forget
that
Kevin
Pietersen
led
the
team,
and
he
was
the
main
man.
If
KP
had
said,
no
I
don’t
want
to
go,
that
would’ve
been
the
end
of
the
matter.

India
vs
England
2021:
Fate
of
the
series
still
hangs
in
balance

“It
was
because
KP
was
willing
to
go
and
he
convinced
the
others,
the
team
came
and
we
had
that
fantastic
Test
match
in
Chennai
where
India
chased
380
to
win
on
the
last
day,”
the
batting
great
added.

Gavaskar
termed
BCCI’s
rescheduling
offer
as
a
fantastic
news
and
said
the
cancelled
Test
can
be
held
next
year
after
the
IPL.

Harrison
rubbishes
IPL
conspiracy,
cites
India
players
fatigue
after
bubble
life

“Don’t
forget,
the
gesture
of
the
ECB
has
to
be
remembered,”
he
said.
“It’s
absolutely
apt
that
the
BCCI
now
says,
right
next
year,
we’re
still
coming
to
England.
I
think
there’ll
be
a
little
lean
period.

“I
think
the
IPL
will
finish
in
early
June.
So
there’s
enough
time
for
them
to
go
a
few
days
early,
depending
on
whether
we
still’ve
COVID-19
and
all
the
restrictions
and
maybe
play
a
Test
match
before
or
after,”
Gavaskar
said.

“This
is
fantastic
news
coming
that
the
BCCI
will
make
up
for
it.
This
is
exactly
what
the
relations
between
boards
should
be,”
he
added.