Says the hotel on site made the Ageas Bowl more viable than Lord’s, praises Dravid for the strength of the Bank of India
BCCI President Sourav Ganguly revealed on Monday that the World Trials Championship final between India and New Zealand will take place in Southampton in June. The game is scheduled for June 18-22.
When the ICC Board approved the inaugural cycle of the WTC, it had informally designated Lord’s as the potential venue for the final. The two teams that would contest the final were finalized on Saturday, with India completing a 3-1 win series against England to finish at the top of the table, with New Zealand securing their qualification earlier. The ICC issued a statement after India’s victory indicating the date of the final, but without naming the location.
Lord’s has hosted several World Cup finals, for both men and women, but would need the go-ahead from the ECB, who were granted host rights for the WTC final by the ICC. Incidentally, Lord’s will host the first match of the two-trial series between England and New Zealand from June 2-6.
According to Ganguly, Southampton emerged as a clear favorite because it is one of the two locations, Manchester is the other, with a hotel on site – an advantage for teams operating in a biosecure environment during the Covid-19 pandemic. Having hotels on site meant that both venues hosted international series involving the West Indies, Pakistan, Ireland and Australia in the summer of 2020.
Southampton hosted the first Test against the West Indies last July, which was also the first international match and series played during the pandemic. The Ageas Bowl subsequently hosted two events during the Pakistan series, and later ODI against Ireland and T20I against Australia.
“That [the WTC final] he’s in Southampton, “Ganguly said. India today. “It was decided a long time ago. They have the hotel, which makes it easier for them to control (of the biosecure environment). So when England started cricket after the Covid days, a lot of test matches were held in Southampton. And Manchester because they have hotels next to the ground. “
Winning the WTC is similar to winning the World Cup: Ganguly not sure
Ganguly said he was “squeaky clean and ready” and “back to work” after his recent hospitalizations in January, where he had to place multiple stents after suffering a heart attack. He also said that he would soon be vaccinated against Covid-19 and then travel to Ahmedabad to watch the T20I series of India against England.
Ganguly had praised the Indian team after their series victories at the Border-Gavaskar Trophy in Australia and the home win against England.
“Just a remarkable victory … Going to Australia and winning a series of events in this way … will be remembered in Indian cricket history forever … Bcci announces a 5 cr bonus for the team … The The value of this victory is beyond any number … well done to all tour members, “Ganguly tweeted on January 19, the day India won the series in Australia.
On March 6, Ganguly tweeted about India’s arrival at the WTC final, calling it a “monumental effort.”
However, he did not come to consider that a possible victory in the WTC was on par with winning a World Cup. “I don’t know. I can’t answer that question,” Ganguly said. “Each trophy has its own value. A World Cup over 50 years old is an amazing pinnacle – you play that World Cup for two and a half months, you beat the best and then you pass.
“It was a bit tricky this time because of Covid. The teams played against teams, the teams couldn’t play against teams, they didn’t travel, the tours were canceled. In a couple more days [WTC] championships we will have a clearer idea of how difficult it is and how difficult it is to win the World Test Championship; it can be on a platform where everyone has the same number of games to play and then decide. “
However, Ganguly offered high praise to the Indian team, drawing attention to how the team had done well despite the players being on biobubbles since before the start of IPL 2020, from the end of August. “Being in those bubbles and playing cricket day after day was extraordinary, since IPL that was in September (2020), and this is early March and they are not done yet because they have the T20I and ODI to start. A good six months. in bubbles, and getting to what they have achieved is fantastic. “
‘Dravid has done a great job in the NCA’
Ganguly also appreciated the work that Rahul Dravid had done to mold the younger members of the Indian team, who have played under Dravid for India A and India U19. At various points in both series, all of Rishabh Pant, Mohammed Siraj, Washington Sundar, Shardul Thakur and Axar Patel have been coached by the former India captain. Dravid went from being the head coach of the A and U19 teams to being the director of cricket at the National Cricket Academy in Bengaluru.
While Ganguly praised the Indian coaching staff led by Ravi Shastri, he gave special mention to his former teammate and Test debutant Dravid for being the architect behind the Bank of India’s impressive strength.
“Absolutely, which is why I say that Rahul Dravid has done a great job in the NCA, because he takes care of the second row players,” Ganguly said. “Mohammed Siraj, you see a lot of talent in him. Shardul Thakur: Every time they get a chance, they get up. We talk about [Jasprit] Bumrah all of last year, but watch India win without him too, as you saw in the last test in Australia. There was no Ishant Sharma in the team and you still beat Australia in Australia, which is extraordinary. “
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