India Tour Of West Indies 2024 to be Rescheduled?

The West Indies cricket team is currently in Zimbabwe, for the 2024 ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers. After the completion of the tournament, West Indies is set to play a series against India in the Caribbean. They are facing a serious scheduling conflict as they are set to meet India in a Test series just three days after the ICC World Cup Qualifiers. The series is scheduled to begin in Dominica on July 12, posing a challenge for the Caribbean team in terms of preparation and travel logistics.

The Challenge of Travelling from Harare to Dominica

One of the major complications faced by the West Indies team is the logistical challenge of traveling from Harare, Zimbabwe to Roseau, the capital city of Dominica. Normal international travel would require close to two days, leaving the players with minimal time to rest and prepare for the Test series against India.

Issues of Multi-Format Players

Cricket West Indies (CWI) has often separated players for white-ball and red-ball matches. However, in this instance, there are a few players like Jason Holder, Kyle Mayers, Roston Chase, and Alzarri Joseph who will participate in all formats. These players are currently in Zimbabwe for the CWC qualifiers, with their focus divided between the ongoing tournament and the upcoming Test series against India. CWI also has to manage the players’ workload to avoid the injury.

CWI’s Efforts and Priority

CWI officials have stated that they are exploring multiple options to ensure a smooth transition for the players. The board intends to release the four players before the final of the CWC qualifiers as their participation in the title clash holds no major relevance to World Cup qualification. However, the team’s priority is to ensure that they reach the final of the qualifiers before making any final decisions regarding player availability for the Test series.

The West Indies cricket team’s primary focus at the moment is to secure qualification for the upcoming ODI World Cup scheduled to take place in India in October-November. The ongoing World Cup Qualifiers will conclude on July 9, just three days before the Test series against India begins. The team’s multi-format players face the challenge of transitioning from the qualifiers to the Test series, highlighting the need for careful planning and coordination.

As the West Indies aim to reach the summit clash of the qualifiers, the CWI officials are prioritizing World Cup qualification over the Test series against India. While the final of the CWC qualifiers is considered meaningless in terms of qualification, the team’s participation in the Test series will depend on their successful journey to the final.

Indian Team will reach on 1^st July

Indian cricket team does not face such concerns, and they are scheduled to reach the destination on the 1^st of July. The Indian team will come fresh after having 25 days off from cricket. Earlier, India is scheduled to play the ODI series against Afghanistan which was postponed by both BCCI and ACB. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) provided the Indian team enough time for preparation and acclimatization to the conditions. Recently, in the World Test Championship, BCCI and the management were criticized for not managing the workload and didn’t make a schedule where the Indian team can do better preparation for the Final. India lost the final against Australia, and the preparation and the fitness of the player were the hot topics.

With the West Indies series of 2024, the new cycle of the World Test Championship is starting and this time the Board and management do want to repeat the old mistakes.

The proposed tour will start from 12^th of July. The matches will be broadcasted live on TV on DD Sports and digitally streamed on Jio Cinema for Free. Fans can aslo watch the series on Fancode, as they are the official broadcasters of Windies Cricket in India.