Cricket lovers were eagerly awaiting the fifth and final Test match between the hosts, England, and the visitors, India. India took an unbeatable 2-1 lead and won the fourth Test at the Oval, because the Indian fans wanted their team to seal series victory. while England fans wanted their team to bounce back and win the Test to share the final honours. However, all of them were greatly disappointed. As soon as Team India’s junior physio tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday 9th September 2012, a day before the fifth Test was due to start at Old Trafford, utter and clueless uncertainty engulfed the match; Head coach Ravi Shastri and possibly one or two members of the team management, including the senior physio (unconfirmed), were already in isolation and tested positive before the fourth test. The practice session for India that day was cancelled.

Since a physiotherapist obviously needs to be involved with players ‘physically’, there was a risk of players getting infected if the match was allowed to continue, and many Indian cricket mandarins had the prospects of IPL-2021 starting in nine days on their minds Perhaps worrying about the health of English players, some of whom will also play in the IPL followed by the ICC T20 World Cup, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) asked the Indian Board BCCI to lose Game 5 which meant that in that eventuality the Series would be considered tied 2-2. It was also instinctual on his part, as no one would want their team to give up, so to speak, the Series without a fight. The two respective Boards engaged in seemingly endless deliberations with no communication with the players.

On Friday 10 September 2021, the day the match was due to start, the ECB slightly changed its previous statement, now saying India was unable to field a team due to the physio’s infection and the match was cancelled. The Board of India also said that fearing a rise in infections among the players, the match had to be cancelled. Meanwhile, all the Indian players have been tested and tested negative for COVID. Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma reportedly opposed the match being cancelled; although some other report said they secretly wrote to the BCCI expressing concern about further infections, because they felt the current ‘COVID negative’ status could easily change over the course of two to three days. In any case, the Boards took a long time to decide, and they announced that the fifth Test was canceled just two hours before the scheduled start. Even the players of both teams did not know this beforehand.

Now, the verdict of the Series in favor of India has been the biggest question. If the rains had wiped out the match, India would have won the series hands down, but while the pandemic is also a natural calamity, the point is to take precautions and follow strict protocols, and some in the English camp felt that the Indians were not doing what they wanted. careful enough. However, we feel it’s really unfortunate that the Series took place at a time when England decided to live with the virus after vaccinating most of its citizens, and the matches were completely open to spectators whom neither they were not even required to wear masks. and in such a situation, players or non-playing members could easily get infected when they move in the crowd on various occasions, at least while moving around the arena stand. There was a soft bubble and from time to time the necessary tests were done; and therefore it is not correct to blame the Indian camp for its alleged lack of proper precautions.

It was also reported that the ICC would step in and give the final decision on the official result of the Test Series. Perhaps to avoid an imbroglio or any injustice to any team, the two together finally decided to reschedule the test sometime next year as there was almost no time left now that the IPL-2021 would start nine days after the all-important ICC World Cup. T20. 2021 in United Arab Emirates. But the issue is far from resolved, because if the fifth solitary Test is to be held as a stand-alone or single match, how will it count as part of the 2021 England Vs India Test Series? was not considered apart, so it must now be declared that India won the Series with a 2-1 lead achieved after winning the fourth match.

Of course, if IPL-2021 can be divided into two halves, the first part has already been played at places in India and the other half at places in the UAE, in different time periods with the same points and league rankings. , why not apply the same rule here? also: hold the canceled or rather now postponed fifth Test anytime in 2022 in England and treat it as part of the 2021 Test Series, the outcome of which would ultimately decide the verdict of the Series. According to the latest international cricket schedule, India is supposed to visit England again in 2022. There is an additional aspect to the issue: the ECB will lose around £40m in broadcast rights and hospitality sponsorships from the cancellation of the fifth Test and therefore, it would be in the Board’s interest to reschedule the game and treat it as part of the current Series.

Money game or money challenge is everywhere in cricket game. Ideally, the series should have been naturally decided in India’s favour, and the players should have flown home immediately to give them some much-needed rest and prepare them well for the T20 World Cup. But no, the IPL must be completed for the same money bets for the Indian Board. Another ideal alternative would have been to reschedule the fifth Test within a week, depending on the situation, postponing the IPL-2021 to take place after the World Cup. But not again, for the same reasons; the stakes involve not only the Indian Board, but a large section of international cricketers and cricket boards. So, let’s wait and watch, and enjoy what’s on offer.

Finally, the pandemic is far from over and must be taken seriously. Cricket matches must continue to be held under a strict bubble and behind closed doors. Also, it is inhumane to keep cricketers in a bubble to bubble scenario and mandatory isolation plus endless testing for more than a year. Regardless of what is at stake in cricket, matches must be played with all humanitarian angles in mind.