In the wake of demanding schedules across all formats of cricket, senior India and Mumbai all-rounder Shardul Thakur has voiced his concerns regarding the Ranji Trophy’s rigorous scheduling. Speaking out after a commendable performance where he notched up his maiden first-class century to rescue Mumbai in the Ranji Trophy semi-final against Tamil Nadu, Thakur openly criticized the tight timeline players currently operate under. His innings, a vital knock soaring Mumbai’s score to 290 from a precarious 106/7, underscores his dedication to the team, but with Day 2 at the Sharad Pawar Academy in BKC coming to a close, Thakur’s thoughts quickly turned towards the welfare of his fellow cricketers.
The star player didn’t shy away from warning that the prevailing packed agenda—comprising the Indian Premier League (IPL), international commitments, and first-class competitions—should be revised by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to prevent an inevitable surge in injuries. Thakur characterized the current iteration of the Ranji Trophy as ‘difficult.’ He pointed out the mere three-day intervals allotted for turnaround between games, which he deemed insufficient for adequate rest and recovery.
Thakur, reflecting on his earlier days, recalled a more forgiving schedule. “If boys keep playing like this for two more seasons, there will be a lot of injuries across the country,” he stated on March 3. He reminisced, “Back in the day, seven to eight years ago, the first three games used to have three-day breaks, and then we moved on to a four-day break, with the knockouts being spaced out by five-day breaks.”
A finalist team partaking in the Ranji Trophy is currently obliged to play a staggering 10 red-ball matches in just over two months. Given that matches in the Ranji Trophy frequently last between 4-5 days on Indian pitches, Thakur’s concerns become particularly poignant, considering the combined toll of the games themselves and the exhaustive travel across India that players must endure.
Adding to the complexity of domestic cricket scheduling is the expansion of the IPL, which now boasts 74 games but shows signs of growth to a hefty 94 matches. This development is bound to further compress the window for domestic cricket, thus raising questions about player burnout and injury prevention.
Shardul also lamented the lost ‘bye’ round with the restructured group format. “Now with only eight teams being in one group, everyone plays each other, so that [extra] break has gone now,” he noted, shedding light on the less-talked-about structural changes that have had profound effects on players’ health and readiness. The predicament was further illustrated by Mumbai’s scenario, where pacer Mohit Awasthi sustained an injury following the sixth game due to rampant workload, necessitating the induction of Tushar Deshpande from India A.
The sentiments echoed by Thakur indicate a growing need for the BCCI to reassess the current structure and demands placed upon cricketers. The echoes from the Ranji Trophy semi-finals stir discussions that invigorate the cricketing community, heralding a compelling discourse on the sustenance of India’s cherished cricketing talents. As the cricketing calendar continues to burgeon with events and series, the plea for mindful scheduling reverberates, not just for the sake of the sport but for the health and longevity of its valued players.
